Not Your Average Fairy's Tale

Phoebe Sullivan is back. Unfortunately she has more problems than ever.

***Sequel to Call Me Tinkerbell One More Time ***

 

As I saw the streak of dark red on the floor my stomach dropped and I swore.

   This was getting really old.

   "Woo, get a whiff of that," Danny, at my back, chuckled, waving his hand in front of his nose as if he could disperse the smell. I gave the vampire an irritated look, I didn't like that he enjoyed the smell of blood; it was something I would probably never get used to.

   In the dark of the corridor his pale features stood out like the moon in a dark night, almost luminous. Wearing a simple Star Wars t shirt and some jeans he looked like your average college undergraduate, but I knew not to be fooled by his geeky narrow face.

   He was one of Asher's vampires, over two hundred years old, and that night he was acting as my bodyguard, as Asher put it I was too valuable too loose.

   "Don't go all vampire on me," I warned him, knowing that what we were bound to find was a bloody, gory mess, and I didn't want to fend of an excited vampire caught in bloodlust.

   He gave me a dry look, "Trust me; I think I can contain my thirst."

   "Good," we walked along the hallway, in the local motel, in such a public setting; it was quite disconcerting to find blood staining the plush carpet. But I'd found not to be surprised by the location of some murders, especially when it came to supernaturals.

   They just didn't care. Police would find the evidence but they'd never find the murderer.

   We stopped at room 45B, a bloody hand print smeared the white door, I shared a grim look with Danny, pulling out my silver dagger, his lips curled up at the sight of the lethal blade and the burning smell of the metal. I kept silver with me for a lot of reasons, one so that I could fend of Weres who took a disliking to me, and two to protect myself from the vampires who wanted to suck my blood.

    The door swung open at my touch and I peeked through the door.

   I immediately backed away, pressing myself against the wall, but it was too late. I'd seen it.

   Images of the gruesome scene flashed across my mind, blood smeared walls, dark stains on the floor as puddles of blood seeped through the carpet. Other than that the room was pretty much your typical cheap room.

   I swallowed and followed Danny into the room; if I was sick the vampire would never let me live it down.

   Danny stood in the centre of the room, looking round the room with a cold detached scrutiny. He must have seen worse than this. Of all the dead bodies I'd come across this by far topped the list of gruesome.

   The man we'd been sent to retrieve lay on his bed. He would have been handsome any other time, but I wasn't particularly fond of beheaded guys. I liked them better when they were in one piece.

   His body had already been through a fight, I could see the horrible claw marks on his torso; no doubt he had been attacked outside and had made it to his room before the person had finished the job.

   "Were," I answered when Danny asked me what I thought, "Claw marks, and that looks like a bite on his leg... and only a Were has the strength to rip a man's head clean off the shoulders."

   I knew there was a reason I didn't want to take the job.

   "This is fresh..." Danny broke off and we both listened, there was someone in the bathroom. They'd been trying to be quiet but must have knocked something over because we heard a clatter.

   I gave Danny a startled look; I hadn't sensed anyone else in the room, I'd been too focused with the body.

   One minute Danny was standing beside me and the next he was by the bathroom door, telling me to get ready. I pulled my dagger out and nodded grimly to Danny.

   He yanked the door open, pulling it off the hinges, I dodged as it clattered next to me. Danny reached into the bathroom and there was the sound of a scuffle, growls and hisses and bodies being thrown around. There was the tinkling of glass as one of them collided with the mirror. And then Danny came out, fingers wrapped around the throat of a struggling girl.

   He threw her like a rag doll and she collided with the wall. I winced as her head cracked against it; I wasn't completely unfamiliar with that feeling.

   Then she slid down the wall, eyes rolling back in her head. Danny covered the exits and I covered the windows, ready for any attack.

   Now she was out in the light and not fighting we could get a good look at her, I shared a surprised look with Danny. It wasn't like she was big and scary; if anything it was her lack of size that threw us. She looked barely my age, a little shorter than me, with thick auburn hair drawn back so tight it looked painful.

   She'd had some bright red lipstick on, fresh and clashing with her pale features, I got the feeling she'd been cleaning up when we'd arrived.

   Her eyes were a yellow, her features sharp and angry. She growled at us, a feral noise, Danny hissed back, silencing her, she wasn't cowed, or afraid, but calculating her chances of survival if she fought him. She didn't even consider me a worthy opponent.

   Hello? Girl with a knife? Surely that make up for lack of fangs? Usually people took me more seriously when my trusted blade was strapped on my belt.

   "Evelyn? Who is she?" Danny asked in a cold voice that scared even me: did he blame me for not noticing her?

   Then I remembered that when I was around Danny didn't bother talking to people, I could tell him everything they were thinking.

   My powers had developed a little, reading a human's mind had always been easy, but Were's had been a lot trickier, and there was no point trying with Vampires, they were dead.

   A Were's thoughts were protected by their animal, so a werewolf had a phantom wolf patrolling their mind; a Weretiger had a tiger and so on. Reading their thoughts without them knowing was practically impossible; the animal always fought me off and alerted the human side.

   But I'd found that if I 'fought' the phantom animal then I would have clear access to the thoughts behind them, it was a painful and humiliating when the Were realised I had 'beaten' them. Of course there was always the possibility that I would loose but that had never happened yet.

   Skin contact worked, but this girl would never let me touch her, and after seeing the gore of the body I was willing to humiliate her and hurt her in any way I could.

   I pushed my awareness out, focusing on the mind of the Were. I was instantly hit with her brutal power, the sheer ferocity and strength of it almost made me stagger. But I grit my teeth and pushed on, in my ears I could hear her childish voice cursing me whilst I was almost mentally deafened by the vicious snarling of a... what the hell was that? It took me a little bit to figure out that she was a Hyena.

   Huh, I'd never met one before.

   I gathered up my own fairy telepathic magic, shaping it until it was a whirlwind of precise, barely controlled power. And then I released it. It hit her like a solid wall, her own power offered little resistance and like a damn against a tsunami her power was smashed away and my own filled every nook and cranny of her pathetic mind, raging like a tornado.

   She would have a horrible headache in the morning, I thought, as I softened my magic but kept a firm hold on her creature, keeping it at bay with the threat of more painful power.

   She was thinking quickly, 'not kin, but fought, beat me' 'how did that girl do that?' 'who is she?' 'vampire' 'Asher's telepath: kill' 'Cannot let them know...'

   "Her name is Jasmine Lone. She's from Las Vegas, she's a Hyena, there are more of them around, and she was sent by anon to kill him." I drew out of her mind, coming back to my body. I felt weary, that small mental struggle had tired me.

   Jasmine looked about as bad as I felt, her yellow eyes were wide and full of hate, her mascara had smudged and made black tears down her cheeks. I didn't feel any sympathy for her, she may have looked like a seventeen year old but I knew she was almost ten times that age.

   "Las Vegas... Jasmine Lone do you have permission to be in this territory?" Danny asked in a deceptively polite voice. The Were sneered, finally taking her eyes off me and looking at the vampire,

   "We don't need permission from bloodsuckers," she hissed,

   "No, not from the vampires," I agreed, and her eyes snapped back to me. "This city belongs to several different groups of Weres. There's a pride of lions, a Leap of Leopards and a Sloth of bears. Now tell me, if a stranger came into your territory, murdered on your land, caused trouble for you: would you be happy?"

   She pouted like a sullen child, I smiled back. "I didn't think so. Danny, call Richard-" I broke off as I caught a thought from Jasmine, I shouted an incoherent warning but she moved too fast to follow, her hand reaching into her jacket she made a throwing motion.

   I stared horrified as blood bloomed around the hilt of a dagger protruding from Danny's chest. He looked down at it horrified before thudding to the floor; I automatically went to help him but froze when suddenly Jasmine was standing between me and my bodyguard.

   She crouched, her lips opened into a ferocious snarl to reveal a full set of fangs. Her dentist must lurve her.

   I slowly stood sideways to her, my weapon hand behind my back. I narrowed my eyes and waited as she sniffed the air, growls rising from her throat.

   A few months ago I would have been terrified to be facing a powerful Were but since I'd been in Los Angeles facing down Weres and other supernaturals had been my job. I thought I was getting pretty good at it. In fact, Asher had even helped me, he had been the one to get me the dagger, since he thought my Rapier would stand out on a crowded street, and also because he liked getting me gifts.

   The dagger was custom made, a little extravagant, the blade was slim, almost the same as an okinawan sai blade, but the hilt was a little thicker, black obsidian twisted with white gold.

   It was a magical blade, everything about it was meant to protect me, the obsidian from witches and demons, the silver from vampire and Weres, the pointy end for stabbing anyone that wanted to hurt me.

   "Easy Fido, can't we settle this over some kibble?" I smiled condescendingly and a snarl transformed her face. "You shouldn't have stabbed my friend,"

   With ironically feline grace she pounced at me, I dodged to the side, slashing with the blade. I saw it slice her stomach and she cried out as she arched through the air. She rebounded off the wall and came at me again, her hands a blurred flurry of clawed hands.

   I dodged as the strikes went mainly for my face. It may have looked clumsy but she had years of experience under her belt, I would be killed if I underestimated her.
  
   It sickened me that everywhere I stepped blood squelched around my feet, and my best boots too.

   I ducked under hand and clasping the hilt of the dagger I punched her, my knuckles connecting with her jaw. It wasn't enough to cause serious damage but it made her stumble back and stopped her attack for a few precious seconds.

   I sliced her arm, a thin cut, but with the add of silver it caused her a lot of pain. Clutching her arm to her chest and staggering a little she circled me, eyes narrowed in rage and pain. Her stomach must be killing her; not literally, it wasn't deep enough to kill her.

   We circled each other, sizing each other up. She had obviously thought she could take me on, she knew I was a telepath and had assumed that was all I could do.

   She hadn't taken into account that my fairy blood gave me a little more strength, some more speed, better reactions. She was trying to figure out if I was as dangerous as a Were, or a vampire, if I was just lucky.

   Something clicked then in her mind and she lunged to the side, I covered my face as a vase was thrown at me. Cheap trick, I thought as the vase shattered, showering me with water and pansies.
 
   I barely had time to think about what I'd look like with flowers in my hair before I was tackled, completely knocked off my feet and backwards, a snarling hyena snapping at my face.
  
   I tried desperately to avoid the jaws as my back slammed on the floor, claws dug into my shoulders, scraped down my legs. I was too busy fending off the lethal, poisonous canines to focus on the pain.
  
   In Hyena form the girl was a lethal mass of brown fur and rippling muscles, weighing almost twice my weight; it was almost impossible to fight her.
   
   Distantly I recalled watching a documentary on Hyenas: they had the most powerful crushing jaws in the animal kingdom for their size. S**t.

   I wrapped my fingers around her throat and held her back, my hand wasn't large enough to get a good hold but it kept her away long enough for me to bring my other hand round.
 
   I stabbed her.
  
   I didn't think it would kill her, I mean, Weres heal so well, and so fast, I thought it would just incapacitate her long enough for her to get off, keep her down whilst I healed.
 
   Of course I'd completely forgotten that my blade was silver.
  
   Those yellow eyes widened, a whine escaped her lips and she slumped to the side. Gasping I turned to look at her, she was breathing heavy, rasping breaths whilst blood seeped through her chocolate coloured fur, staining it and pooling into the carpet, it soaked my knees as I knelt, watching, dumbstruck.
 
   And as I watched the light in her eyes faded, and she breathed her last, her body changed in a swirling black mist, leaving a young naked girl. That was the end of Jasmine Lone.

   I coughed, feeling sick as I looked from the body to the bloody knife in my hands.

   I'd done a lot of things in the past few months, a lot of things I wasn't proud of, and this counted as one of those things. Murder wasn't something to be proud of.

   The thought that I had taken a life sickened me more than the loop-de-loop from the amusement park back in England. Try spinning upside down several times after eating a whole box of Dunkin' Donuts. It's not fun.
  
   Groaning I heaved myself to my feet, all set on pulling the knife from Danny's chest, until I realised my blood would set him off, plus he'd be even hungrier and wilder because he needed to heal.

   I hissed as my legs complained with the small steps I took, looking at my thighs, relieved to see that the damage wasn't as bad as I'd thought, overall I only had two really deep gashes and they were already healing, the same went for my shoulders, the flesh knitting back together seamlessly.

   I looked at the knife then at his pale face. I swore and stomped my foot. D****t. The adrenalin was trickling out of my system, leaving me shaky and emotional. I caught myself before I could swear again, it was a really bad habit. Mentally slapping myself I took a few deep breaths.

   "Do. Not. Panic." I told myself, deep breath in, deep breath out. I shut my eyes. I opened my eyes.

   Okay then, Evie, what do you need to do?

   "Phone the vampires, they can clean the place up, no, nope that won't work; they'll react like Asher's piranhas at feeding time. You can always call the familiars... no they'll mess with the body and probably kill Danny even more. What. To. Do?"

   Except I'd have to call the familiars, human servants to the vampires. Oh they knew all about the vampires and other supernaturals, but they voluntarily chose to work for the vampires, in hopes that one day they would be turned and gain immortality and an insatiable hunger.

   I couldn't stand them for wanting to give up their humanity, their life, for vampirism.

   But I suppose it also meant they were the only people I could trust with this, if anything went wrong then whoosh, immortality out the window.

      Reaching into my pocket I pulled out my phone, and just stared at it. To call them would mean going against my own morals, then again, I'd just killed someone so a little phone call won't exactly darken my soul anymore than it already was.

   And I couldn't stay here much longer, I'd go mad (-der) with all the bodies and blood, plus the vamps would come looking eventually, I didn't want them to smell my blood, they'd go mental.

   "Aaaaand now! Now. Call them.... NOW!" muttering curses I reached into my pocket and pulled out my lucky coin. It slipped in my bloody fingers but I flicked it up any way, "Heads I call, tails I cut my throat."

   I caught it and peeked through my fingers, scowled when I had to wipe a little blood from it, "Whadaya know: tails. Balls."

   And then the phone rang, Unknown ID. I frowned and answered it, holding it gingerly to my ear.

   "Hello?"

   "I suggest you leave now, Evelyn," I froze, chills running down my spine as I looked at the phone. Who the hell was this? I didn't recognize the voice, boyish, charming, patronising, definitely the voice of a killer. Trust me, I knew what a killed sounded like.

   "Do I want to know who this is?" I asked carefully, looking out the window, my own reflection looked back at me, dishevelled, wide eyed and lost. I wondered if this person was watching, and if he was laughing at me.

   "Now, Evelyn, there are several pissed off Hyenas coming up the stairs and I don't think you want to get in the middle of them."
 
   The stranger thought right. I pushed my mind out, brushing against the minds of three angry revenge filled Weres. They were set on killing whoever had killed their pack mate.

   And that was me.

   "Any suggestions, oh fairy godmother?" I asked the phone sarcastically, trying not to panic then and there as I jumped over Danny's body and out into the empty corridor,

    "You're going to have to fight your way out," and with that he hung up, leaving me staring at the dead phone in my hands. Who the hell was this guy?

   No time to worry about that now though, they were coming for me.

   Whoever 'they' were they were blocking the only escape route that I had. I swear someone high up really hated me. With no other choice bar leaping out windows Van Damme style I sprinted towards the stair well, I was within five feet when the door started to open.

   I dived at it, driving my shoulder and side against the wood with so much force I was sure I heard something crack in my hip.

   But it seemed that my pain wasn't for nothing, I listened to the startled yells with relish, opening the door to see three grown men tumbling back down the stairs.

   "Suckers!" I cackled and they stopped on the first landing, landing in a heap of writhing arms and legs. Three pairs of yellow eyes glared at me, teeth snapped and growls set my hair on end.

  And I somehow had to get downstairs. Balls, maybe I should have gone for the 'I'm weely, weely sowwy, pwetty pwease forgive me' approach instead of the rub it in their face one.

   As it was, before they could properly recover, I pressed myself against the stairwell then leapt, vaulted over the banister and fell. Luckily I was aimed towards the opposite stairwell one floor below.

   I hit the ground hard, tearing one of my scabs open as I rolled and collided with the wall. I shook my head to get rid of the twinkling stars and looked up, impressed; I really hadn't thought it would work.

   And then the rip of clothing and barks alerted me to the fact that the men had changed and I now had to outrun three overgrown odd shaped mutts. Did hyena's count as mutts? I could have sworn reading somewhere they were slightly related to bears.

   I'd also read that whilst they were as big as lions they were much more vicious.

   I could only hope four legs were worse than two going down stairs.

   I leapt down the stairs three at a time, the sound of their nails scrabbling on the plastic floor and teeth snapping at my heels spurring me on.

   Finally I reached the ground floor, the exit right in front of me. It opened just as I was about to slam into it, so instead I slammed into an impossibly solid chest.

   "Whoa!" Arms lifted me off the ground and spun me round into the wall just as I felt the wolves brush by my legs. The furry monsters shot out the stair well like cannons and all I could do was stare up at the stranger as he hugged me tight against his chest.

   "My fairy Godmother I presume?" I slipped out of his arms, bumping against the wall as he just stood there, a small grin on his lips.

   He wasn't what I had been expecting. He was tall, freakishly tall, maybe 6'6, looked to be early twenties but had an aura that said he was much, much older. He had a dark tan and short honey coloured hair with a slight quiff. I had to admit that whilst he wasn't exactly the dark rugged type he was more the cute surfer dude with the sweet button nose, broad swimmers shoulders and a cute boyish grin.

   The most striking thing about him were his bright violet eyes. I know violet sounds girly but in his face they were so violently vibrant they gave him that little edge, that sense of otherness.

   "And who are you?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes. It was nice to put a face to the mysterious voice, and the affable, indifferent tone definitely suited his boyish looks.

   "I'm the guy who just saved your a*s," he tipped his imaginary hat to me and I narrowed my eyes,

   "Not yet you haven't," I pointed to the Hyenas. From the claw marks and knocked over furniture it was obvious that they had been moving too fast and lost control on the waxed plastic floor.

   But now they were up and growling at us, yellow eyes glowing eerily on square heads, those jaws snapped and I was reminded of the scene in the Lion King, when the three hyenas were coming out of the elephant skull, stalking towards the helpless Simba and Nala.

   The stranger barely gave them a cursory glance before grinning at me, "Who'd you piss off, pumpkin?"

   "I might have killed their pack mate, it was out of self defence," I added hastily and the guy shrugged,

   "I don't care why you killed her, so long as you're alive," I was surprised at that one but I barely had time to comment before he had changed. There was a rip of clothes and suddenly, standing between me and the Hyenas was the biggest damn wolf you had ever seen.

   Muscles rippled under thick grey and golden streaked fur as he paced, claws as dark as the obsidian handle of my dagger, and just as lethal as the blade.

   The stranger growled, I could feel it shake my bones, the power rolling off him like physical waves, making me dizzy and nauseous, yet somehow they comforted me at the same time. Get a grip, Pheebs.

   "I'll just stay back here, huh?" I offered, the wolf barely glanced at me but the Hyenas did,. They sniffed the air with their large noses and then they were going, stumpy tails between their legs they scarpered out through the front doors and into the night.

   "Well, you sure showed them," I commented loftily and he grumbled. I had no idea whether he was telling me to shut up or agreeing. Then I remembered the mess upstairs, "God I should have put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign up," housecleaning was going to have one hell of a fright in the morning...
   Since I'd left my phone somewhere upstairs I searched through the guy's destroyed clothes for his cell whilst he kept an eye on the doors, I rang the number of Asher's secretary, Margery.
  
   "Hey Margery it's me, can you tell Asher that things didn't go to plan and that he needs to send a team over, Danny's in a spot of bother," I hung up before she could hand the line over to the vampire himself then looked at the now naked man.

   Wait! What?! "My god can you warn me?" I chucked a relatively large piece of shirt fabric at him and averted my eyes, at the same time I slipped the phone into my pocket.

   "Nope, I kind of like your reaction, its fun," I rolled my and just walked out into the cool air, I tried to keep weight off my bad leg, knowing that sometimes these things can heal wrong.

   "Who are you anyway?" I demanded, watching him out the corner of my eye as his tall tanned body followed just a metre away from me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I was worried that I couldn't get anything from his mind, not even the tell tale woof of a wolf.

   "No one important," he leant against my car when I reached it, "I'm just here to keep you alive,"

   "Oh you could have fooled me 'you're going to have to fight your way out', yep, definitely my well being was - get your butt cheeks off my car!" I slapped his arm and he moved away. I just shook my head and patted my poor abused car, trying to convince myself that I was not jealous that she had copped a feel of that gorgeous a*s.

   It had taken me a while to find a car to replace my beloved Impala, abandoned in Blacke; I could only imagine what the wolves could have done to it as revenge for me causing so much trouble.

   The Lexus 2007 LF A was an amazing car, one I had bought with my own money, one that, in my opinion, made all the Ferraris and Lamborghinis look clunky and slow.

   Of course, the Lexus had come after the Ferrari and Lamborghini. Both crashed and taken off me.

   "You didn't answer my question though, who. Are. You?" I looked at him and gave him my meanest glare, the temperature dropped just a little and even with his freaky Werewolf heat I saw goose bumps on his skin.

   One of my newest developments, controlling the temperature, or really just making things very, very cold. I was sure that when I was used to I'd be able to make ice sculptures but as it was all I could do for the time being was make the air as cold as the arctic, and even make blizzards when I tried hard enough.

   I'd have used it back in the motel with Jasmine but as a rule I didn't use my new magic around vampires, it was bad enough they used me for my telepathy, imagine what jobs they'd have me do if they knew I could recreate the North Pole in the middle of Los Angeles.

   And this guy just grinned, leant a little closer, "You can't threaten me, Evelyn."

   "Is that a challenge?" I grinned back, but whilst his was the lazy grin that made women swoon mine was a dangerous 'don't test me' type of grin, almost a snarl but not.

   He leant close, bending down and closing the gap between our faces until I could feel his breath on my lips, "Any day."

   He caught me completely off guard; I barely had a chance to back away from the stranger before his lips caught mine in a quick, possessive and ferocious kiss that sizzled away my synapses.

   Blood pounded through my veins as my heart thudded painfully, and then he pulled away, flashed that roguish grin and was gone.

   I blinked, slowly, as if coming out of a deep, deep sleep. Then I swore, slapped myself gently, trying to rouse my anger, if I was angry I could keep a cool head.

   Yes, I was angry; I'd just been kissed by a complete stranger. I was angry, d****t. No, hold on to the anger Pheebs, angry! Not wistful.

   Then I put my hand into my pocket, the phone I'd stolen from him was gone.

   D****t! Now I was angry.

   Liar, now I was impressed, and even more intrigued.

 

2.
   This is what happens when you stay up all night obsessing about mysterious strangers, I chided myself as the glass shattered to the floor.

   I was knackered. I hadn't slept one wink once I'd gotten home. I'd washed away all the blood, chucked my clothes into the garbage and then paced the length of my small studio apartment, trying to figure out why someone would have killed that man, and who the hell the strange wolf was.

   He'd said he was here to keep me alive. I wondered if that meant just against the Hyenas or if it was more long term, and if it was why I wasn't too fussed my life was in danger. And who had hired him.

   Swearing I picked up the pieces of the glass, trying to mop up the fizzy pop pooled on the tiles.
 
   I lived in a pretty simple apartment. A small rustic kitchen opening up to the studio, slash living room. The worn leather couch and small television on one side, closest to the door, whilst the other side was taken over by my makeshift art studio, canvases and large rolls of paper took up most of the walls, whilst paint pots and tubs of charcoal littered the floor.

   I wasn't a tidy worker.

   My canvas stand was occupied by a reasonably large canvas, looking out of the large window I could see the top of the neighbouring building, where an old man kept some retired racing pigeons, and ironically, next to their cages, were some cages of falcons.

   The man didn't know it but I was painting a picture of this little scene just for him. I'd heard it was his ninetieth birthday coming up, I wanted to give him something nice because anyone who can live to be that old deserves something, usually a medal but I thought a painting could suffice.

   The bedroom was beside the studio, a curtain separating it from mess and the rest of the house, whilst the bathroom, thankfully, did have a wall and door.

   It was a humble little place, and although Asher paid me generously for the few jobs I did not want a flashy life, a home with chandeliers in every room, diamond door knobs and silver bath tubs. It just wasn't for me.

   So when I wasn't a telepath for the vampires I was an artist for whoever wanted to buy my stuff, which, surprisingly, was a lot of people. Who would have thought it?

   The glass clinked at the bottom of my trash can and I decided that if I couldn't get to sleep I may as well do something productive.

   So ten minutes later I was sprawled on the sofa, unashamedly snoring and drooling on my tatty Sea World cushion - souvenir from a job in Florida.

   I was happily dreaming about marshmallows and talking guinea pigs when my door was attacked by an elephant. Or, I realised when I rolled off the couch, it was just being knocked on.

   "Alright, alright, I'm coming," I yawned, wiping my chin, I really needed to find out if there was a cure to stop dribbling. "Hold your horses!"

   I yanked open the door and glared at the person with the bruised knuckles, he missed the full effect of it because my hair resembled a bird's nest and I wore a large nightie with a big friendly penguin waving on the front. The look definitely didn't aid my hostile approach.

   "Evelyn you need to come with us. Asher wants to see you," damn I hated familiars; if you weren't a familiar and you weren't a vampire then you were treated like s**t, brown nosing pretentious b******s.

   They did nothing for my already crappy mood.

   "Oh sure, let me just drop everything I'm doing here and I'll toddle right on over," I snapped sarcastically. The man barely flinched. He was only in his late twenties, not attractive in the slightest with a nose too large for his narrow face and weedy eyes. He sort of resembled a stork.

   From his mind I could gather that he was one of the newest familiars, at the very bottom of the food chain - in more ways than one. His companion was even less interesting. A podgy man who might have once been a banker. You can tell a banker from a mile away, high pulse, nervous twitch and extremely vain. This guy just screamed banker; he drummed his manicured stodgy sausage fingers on his thigh, wore a pressed dark suit and polished his glasses repeatedly, trying to remove an invisible smudge.

   "Asher has asked for you now," he was extremely smug that he had been given the job to convey the master's own orders. I suppressed a smile: Asher had only sent them because he knew I would chew them out, the familiars must bug him too.

   I leant casually on the door frame, watching the closely as I crossed my arms, and then I just stared at them. Stared at them until they both began to fidget uncomfortably, fatty cleaned his glasses with more rigour.

   "Well you tell his highness I do not appreciate being beckoned for! I'm not a dog! I will not be summoned when he wants his slippers brought to him! If he thinks that he can whistle and I'll come a-running then he has another thing coming!"

   I went to shut the door, they couldn't believe that I had disobeyed Asher, Asher! The God of Vampires!

   "You insolent little s**t!" The banker snapped shoving the door open before I could latch it, I had to dodge it as it swung back. "You dare defy him!"

   "Whoa! The Banker does have balls!" I cheered and his cheeks grew a patchy ugly red.

   "Now look here little girl, I don't care who you think you are but if you treat lord Asher that way they will be repercussions and I personally can not wait to see you hung, drawn and quartered!"

   "That's a little drastic, don't you think? I don't think vampires, or anyone for that matter, use that as a punishment nowadays," he spluttered and I looked at my nails unperturbed, "The worst I'll get is a disappointed phone call from the 'Lord' and then he'll come over for a nice mug of A positive and we'll chat about the weather and the news, and maybe even the new movies coming out. Then later we'll sit in front of my TV and plait each others hair, laughing about how self-righteous you pricks are."

   They were silent and I smiled, "You just don't understand, do you? See I know how vampires treat people: like bugs. Little insects that they can control, cockroaches that they can squish with their heels, ants they can burn with magnifying glasses. And they laugh as they do it. See once upon a time they respected humans. Until people like you came along and any respect the vampires once held for us went flying out the window. And forgotten."

   They were staring at me, a hard look in their eyes, trying to be defiant, whilst on the inside I knew that they knew I was right.

   "I know where I stand with the vampires. I treat Lord Asher this way because for once in a hundred years someone, finally, has stood up to him, to all the vampires. And now that I've got their respect I am not going to lose it. And do you know how I would lose their respect? By behaving like you, waiting on their every pathetic need. They're never going to give you the immortality you want because, until you show you have backbone as a human, they know you just won't cut it as a vampire," I smiled politely, "Good day, sirs,"

   And slammed the door in their faces.

   Yep, Asher liked sending familiars over to me, because I always gave them a little speech. He hated familiars as much as I did.

   I looked back around my apartment, waited for them to leave, and when they finally did I couldn't relax. I had to do something to distract myself.

   Ten minutes later I was in my car heading to the one place I knew I could relax, to get away from all the drama.

   And then my phone rang.

   ID said it was Asher. I had to answer since he'd lowered himself so much to pick up a phone.

   "Evelyn, since you so verbally refused to join me you've left me no choice," his angelic voice spoke softly into my ear, tinted with dry humour, "I have been forced to use a phone."

   "Oh no! The horror!"

   "Yes, well, I'm glad you understand," Asher was a very old fashioned vampire, sure he liked the luxuries - you should see his house. In true Los Angeles style he lived in one of the big houses, with chandeliers in every room, diamond door knobs and chairs made of real leather.

   The type of house you'd expect movie stars or mobster bosses to live in. Asher was somewhere in between.
    As Master Vampire and with a few centuries of well earned cash under his belt it was natural for him to have a big house. He wasn't always alone in the house, he shared it with his most loyal servants.

   "I was hoping you could tell me what happened last night; the familiars say it was quite the mess," I spent the next fifteen minutes explaining exactly what had happened - minus my guardian werewolf. "I'm going to find out who the Hyenas are, why they killed him... I know he was a good friend, Asher,"

   "Douglas Matthews was a good man; he did not deserve to die, especially not in such a gruesome way. He was not a fighter," there was such sorrow in that voice I felt my own throat tighten with tears. That was the reason why Asher had asked me to take the job, he had trusted me to look after his friend, and I'd failed.

   "I'm sorry, Asher, so sorry Asher. I will-"

   "No. Do not endanger yourself anymore, Evelyn," he interrupted smoothly,

   "Ha, ha, no. I'm helping, Ash, and you can't stop me," I blew a raspberry and was rewarded with his chuckle. "Plus, you trusted me with a job, I'm going to see it through all the way."

   "... I cannot stop you, can I?"

   "Nope," I popped the 'p' then thought of something else as I parked in the reasonably empty car park, "Danny's okay, right?" he made a noncommittal noise, "It wasn't his fault, Ash. You're not punishing him are you?"

   "Not anymore..."

   "Good. I'll speak to you later," I hung up and got out the car, taking a deep breath of the warm air.

   Eight months working for a vampire. A lot could happen in eight months.

   Funny how eight months ago I'd been thinking that a lot could happen in four days.

   Unfortunately eight months wasn't a long enough time to forget. Forget my family; forget my old life, to forget the events that had led to me 'disowning' my own family, to forget those four little days..

   I hadn't seen any of them, and I doubted anyone was looking for me. After all, my family would feel like I'd betrayed them, and the others - Tobias - I'd ordered them not to look for me.

   It didn't mean I didn't miss them. Every damn day.

   I wasn't fooling anyone with my brave face, with my cool 'I don't care' attitude. They all knew that I was hurting, and they respected me enough to let me suffer in silence.

   So when I told Asher that I was going to continue this job because I felt bad at having failed him, he knew that what I really meant was 'I need to distract myself'. The more I was distracted the less time I had to wallow on the past.

 

 

3.
   The target was in my sights. My breathing stopped, my heart beat slowed and all the sound just washed over me.

   I squeezed the trigger. Smiled when I saw the bullet rip a hole through the eye of the target. Shooting was almost as satisfying as stabbing things with a sharp metal object, but last night had put me off knives for a while.

   I'd been shooting for an hour, my shoulder was numb from all the recoil, still stiff from the attack last night, but it was healing.

  The Range was one of my favourite retreats, secluded and empty it was a great place to relax and just forget everything.

   "Good shootin' Tex," a cheerful voice said as I pulled my ear defenders off, I reloaded then put the gun down on the side, turning to smile at the man. Richard was Rex of the pride of Lions, looking at him you wouldn't think he was one of the most powerful Weres around, but that was the way it was with Weres, they were meant to look deceptive.

   He grinned a toothy grin, with his short spiky golden hair and dimples he looked every bit the surfer dude that cougars loved, but I knew better; under his charming gormless façade he was a ruthless two hundred and something year old predator.

   "How are things, Evie? I heard about your little scuffle with a Hyena last night," nothing could happen in this city without Richard hearing about it.

   "You should see the other guy," I slapped a hand over my mouth, feeling bad, I mean, we were talking about a dead person. "Oh dear, I just made a joke about killing someone!"

   Richard laughed and leant on the side beside me, "Survival of the fittest, Evie, don't feel bad about it. So, why are you here? Shooting out your frustrations?"

   "More like avoiding vampires," I grinned, so we'd shared a laugh, now for the tricky part, "and I also need a favour."

   His smile became more forced, his becoming wary, "Oh?"

   I needed the lions for this one; no way was I going to be able to find Hyenas in a big city and then apprehend them. Even I had limits.

   I got on reasonably well with Richard and his lions, in fact, I tried very hard to get on with all the Weres of Los Angeles. So, despite Asher's anger, I had made a vow to the Weres that I would never use my telepathy on them.

   When Asher had demanded why I had replied with blunt honesty: "I don't want my neighbours to hate me."
 
   He couldn't argue with that.

   So whilst I might have made a few enemies with travelling rogues I had a pretty friendly relationship with the Weres, especially the lions. Probably because I had saved Richard's life.

   Long story short he'd pissed off a major vampire b***h, Zara. Something about not swearing fealty or some old term like that. She'd gotten angry and through a series of seemingly unconnected events made his life pretty miserable. And then he'd disappeared. The Lions practically tore the whole town upside down searching for him.

   They hadn't asked for help but me being a little do-gooder I couldn't help interfering. I followed a few suspicious minds, found out that they were humans connected to Zara, and that she had employed them to kidnap Richard, along with a few other Weres, to put in the pits.

   It took a while to persuade the Lions that I wasn't tricking them and that I did know where Richard was. And after the fight Zara was sent to Asher to receive her punishment (better not to think about that one) and all the captured Weres had been released.

   I'd watched over it all and Richard, a man I had met only once before, stumbled up to me, supported by two lions. He looked me dead in the eye, something most Weres refused to do, and told me in a much too solemn voice that he was in debt to me.

   Richard remembered that. He sighed and rubbed his face, smile turning wry, "Do I have a choice?"

   "Yes," I replied in all seriousness, he was taken aback, a lot like I was when Asher gave me the choice all those months ago. I continued a little more cheerfully, "Except Douglas Matthews' murder might affect you, I mean, its common knowledge that you Weres don't like Asher and would grab at the chance to hurt him. Asher might think that you hired the Hyenas-"

   "Enough, I get the picture," he shook his head and bared his teeth slightly, angry with me, "No need to threaten me."

   I held my hands up innocently, "Hey I'm not threatening, just saying."

   I doubted though that Asher had even considered Richard, or any of the Weres in Los Angeles, as suspects. They hated him but they were also scared of him, no one was stupid enough to betray him.

   "Fine," he huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders sullenly, "so what do you need me to do? Track the hyenas down?"

   "Perfect, thank you," I kissed his cheek and went back to sighting up the target. He stayed beside me, wanting to say something more. I fired and snapped the gun, putting the safety catch on and starting to put it back in the gun slip.

   "What's wrong, Richie?" If he was going to lecture me I was going to kill him.

   "You're eighteen, Evie, you shouldn't be working for the vampires-" nothing I hadn't heard before,

   "Richie-"

   "Most girls your age spend their nights out getting drunk and partying to god awful hours- you spend yours finding dead bodies and fighting Weres! It's not normal!" he was really getting into it now, cheeks rosy with passion, "And now, you should be in school! Or at least out in a shopping mall or something, just hanging out with your mates! But what do you do instead? You come to a shooting range and do the dirty work for a vampire!"

   That was enough. That was all I could bare to hear. I stepped up nice and close, swinging my gun on to my shoulder I glared up at him, "Choice! It's all about choice, Richard! I choose this life and I'm not about to start regretting it!"

   "Why? Why would you choose this life?" some Weres loved that they had so much power, that they could turn into a wild animal in the blink of an eye, whilst other Weres truly did see it as a curse. Richard was one of the latter.

   I slumped back, turned away from him and stalled by putting my sunglasses on, "Have you ever been so lost that you leapt for the one path that made sense to you even though it scared you half to death?"

   He was silent, I took that as a yes, though he refused to admit it, as that would mean admitting weakness. "Why? Have you?"

   He needed an honest answer, that way he would understand, hopefully. "Yes I have. And there's no changing that. I'm on this path now, I don't know where I'm going but I'll get there in my own time."

   I looked at him now, glad he couldn't see my eyes or he'd see my eyes filling with painful tears, I tried hard not to shake with the rage that pounded through my veins, at that moment I was so angry at him! Making me remember all this!

   "You don't get to tell me how to live my life, Richard. Because I'm the one living it, and if I look back now, if I start regretting choices I made, I'm going to stumble and fall and I'll be right back at the beginning."

   "I'm sorry, Evie, I'm sorry, I just hate to see you in danger - don't you at least have family? Friends who aren't supernaturals?" This was territory no one ever went with me, other than Asher and a few trustworthy vampires no one knew of my origins and I liked it that way.

   "I used to. They don't care about me anymore. See you later, Richard, keep me posted?" I pushed away all the gloom and doom and mustered a smile for him, he managed one in return, though his face was still lined with worry.

   That was the problem, I thought as I waved by to him again before getting into the car. I could make friends, but friends worry, and when they worry the pry. And when they pry they disturb all the memories you'd been keeping buried, all the emotions you'd locked away.

   And when they gets disturbed the cage is unlocked and the past rears its ugly head and hurts you all over again.

 

 

4.
   I was reasonably calm as I drove home. It was gone eleven and I'd wasted a few hours at the shooting range and also sobbing my eyes out in a lay-by. But now I was better, and for once you could hardly tell I had been crying; the usual telltale blotchy skin was nowhere to be seen.

   It was as I was turning down the street to my apartment block that I sensed them. Like any paranoid telepath I'd been shifting through the minds of anyone I came across, as if I was expecting them to suddenly jump in front of my car and try to attack me.

   Of course it was doubtful but you could never be too careful.

   And it turned out my paranoia might just have saved my life.

   Pulling up to the end of the street and I slowed and parked, peeking round cautiously. And yep. Two black BMWs were parked on the street alongside my building, one big guy leant against one of the cars, sunglasses hiding his eyes but I recognised that scowling beefy face: Hyena. One of the ones from last night.

   There were more in the building, I swear if they were tearing my apartment up I would kill them. Not that it would make much difference to the mess, but still, it was my private place!

   I couldn't read their minds without alerting them, but sending my magic out and concentrating I could sense eight of the all together, all Hyenas. Three out in the cars.

   What to do, what to do? I thought, chewing my lip. I needed to get back inside, I needed to get my stuff before they could find anything on me. I was stupid; I had a load of stuff in there, like files on important Supernaturals, all my old jobs, and my future ones. If they found those they could do a lot of damage.

   And then the other five came outside, all thoughts of my apartment flew from my mind as my blood ran cold. They were dragging someone behind them. One of the familiars.

   The banker, Jim. He looked so nervous, stumbling over his feet as they dragged him out to the car, that even I felt sorry for him, until I read his mind.

   'Stupid b***h! Where the hell is she? I told them she was there!'

   The b*****d had sold me over to the Hyenas! Well, I thought, putting things together, it made sense, Jim might have had access to some of Asher's information and must have told the Hyenas where to find Douglas... so Jim was a mole of some sort?

   Bummer, Asher was going to be pissed about that.

   The last few guys came out the building, throwing something, no, someone, down the last steps. He hit the ground hard and just lay there, even from this distance I could see who it was.

   My fairy godmother. I guessed five Hyenas had been a little too much for him to handle. He looked like a bloody, beaten mess, and even though he was already on the floor one of the hyenas kicked him savagely across the ribs. I winced like I could feel his pain.

   They were going to shove him into one of the cars and then I'd never see him again! I tried to tell myself I was only going to help him because I wanted answers, but who was I kidding? I wanted to help him because I wanted to ask about that kiss!

   Revving the engine I turned the corner sharply and heading straight for the group of Hyenas, they all reached for guns under their jackets as I sped towards them, the Lexus gathering speed and roaring like an animal.

   And then I parked, ten metres away, they froze in confusion. Leaving the engine running I got out, they were even more confused. Not the smartest lot, even the wolf, lying half unconscious on the floor could tell there was something wrong with the way I calmly approached them.

   "Hey Jim, you hypocrite. You betray Asher?" his silence was the only conformation I needed, I grinned a little savagely at the Hyenas, "And you lot, what's your game I wonder? Who are you working for?"

   "None of your business," one of the men spat, striding a little closer, away, I realised with relief, from the wolf.

   "Oh it's definitely my business since I could have died!" I snapped back, I could feel their animals surfacing, they were trying to muster all the self control they could so as not to rip me to pieces, that told me they wanted me alive. I fixed my smile back in place, "tell me who hired you and I'll let you live."

   They laughed at that, until I pulled out a little metal lipstick tube shaped object. Their eyes narrowed.

   "Dog whistles won't work on us," one of the Hyena's scoffed and I smiled back,

   "Do you know how many scuffles I get into with Weres? I don't always like using violence so I found other means to defend myself, this little thing here? I had a friend amp it up a little. Would you like a demonstration?"

   One Hyena, a big burly bald man -no, an ugly looking woman - with tattoos, piercings and strappy Goth clothes had started to reach for me but I pressed the little button.

   And watched as every one but Jim fell to the floor, writhing and clutching their heads in pain, a few actually got nosebleeds. I'd definitely have to thank Morgan for this; it was by far the best invention - ever.

   I didn't waste time, holding the button down I raced over to the wolf's side, he clutched his head in agony and I felt bad, but it was really the only way I had known to get him out of there.

   Apologising over and over I got him to his feet and somehow managed to get him to my car. He was in crap condition, his left side was wet with blood, one of his shoulders looked swollen and uncomfortable whilst he had a few ugly bruises on his face, he looked like someone had started painting his face purple but left a few gaps.

   I stuffed him into the car and chucked the whistle back into the glove box, finally releasing my hold on them. I knew from experience it would be another two minutes before the Weres fully recovered so I took advantage of the little time I had, reversing the car I navigated back the way I came, spinning round the corner I then pressing my foot down on the accelerator I sped away.

   "Sorry," I told the man sheepishly as he groaned in the seat, holding a hand to his side and another to one of his ears. "I didn't know any other way to get you out,"

   "S'okay, pumpkin, just, next time? Don't bother," I tried not to be too offended but even in his weakened state he must have noticed me stiffen and sit up straighter in the seat, glowering at the cars who dared to drive on my road, "I appreciate you helping, pumpkin, however your safety is the most important thing and I was in no state to protect you."

   "I can protect myself," I told him in a haughty voice and he grinned a little as he leant his head back on the car seat, exhausted,

   "I know you can, pumpkin pie, I know," he shut his eyes as I drove, he was panting slightly, sweat rolling over his face and down his neck, he looked like he was in extreme pain and discomfort, "My name is Rom."

   I tried not to laugh, all my indignation seeping away at his slightly comical name, "Just Rom?"

   "It's short for Roman. A nickname, I suppose they could have called me Centurion but that was a little bit of a mouthful,"

   I swore as I had to quickly avoid a lorry, the honking of the horn drowned out by my own mental blabbering.

   Dear god I was sharing a car with a Roman. A Roman! How old was he? He couldn't be two thousand... Ker-ist.

   I whistled, impressed, and looked at the man beside me, thick short blonde hair, tanned skin, an almost cute button like nose... not at all like the rugged depictions on television. Not at all Russell Crowe, more Patrick Swayze...

   He grinned, knowing that I was looking at him, and I shook myself, "So, Roman, did you ever meet Jesus?"

 

 

 

5.
   "They surprised me see, I was looking for you, pumpkin. I could hear them tearing the place apart and I thought they'd got you; I burst through the front door and wham! They threw a knife in my stomach, I barely even saw him move," Rom winced as I dabbed at the horrible hole just under his last rib, it was closing up but the knife had been silver, impeding the healing process, making the pain so much worse.

   He hissed as I finally stopped and pressed a fresh wad of gauze over the wound, "Fu-" he swallowed the string of cusses he was about to let rip, probably worried they might burn my ears.

   "Those Hyenas are pretty good with their knives," I agreed and he grunted as I wrapped the bandage around his ribs and stomach. We'd parked in an almost empty car park and I'd pulled out my ever handy first aid kit, sat him down on a bench concealed by the car from curious eyes and started patching him up.

   Once I'd gotten past the blood I'd realised it wasn't too bad, he was just bruised and it was the silver that was hurting him so much as it coursed through his blood.

   I sat back on my ankles, looking up at him as he squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth, hit with another bout of pain. "You'll be okay?"

   He grinned, peeking through one of his eyes, "Dandy. I'm old, silver does not affect me as much as it used to."

   Gee, and I'd thought Asher was old, he was an infant compared to Rom. I stood up and told him to wait, then I rushed across the street to the nearest convenient store.

   Ten minutes later I was rushing back to his side with five water bottles and several packets of sweets. I knew how much effort healing hurt and after no one could ever say no to a few strawberry shoelaces.

   Rom looked, corny as it was, exactly like the old warriors you saw in legends, with his sculptured chest out in the sun, scars - so many scars - bared with pride for the world to see, a few roman numerals tattooed on his shoulder.

   He glugged down the first two bottles as I tucked into the sweets, he took the third bottle a little slower.

   "Are you going to tell me why you need me alive?" I asked as I chewed on a jelly baby's head thoughtfully.

   "It's my duty," he replied simply, he sounded much better, though he sat still as a statue beside me, the heat radiating off him like a heater in winter. "I was charged with the responsibility of protecting you."

   "By whom? And from what?" I asked curiously, I should have been annoyed, cross or something, but it was impossible to be angry when you were eating sweets.

   "I... cannot tell you," I looked at him then, studied him carefully, tried to see into his mind, but once again I got nothing from him, like he'd put up a big barrier to block me, did that happen with age?

   "Can't or won't?"

   "Can't, I'm sorry pumpkin but I'm bound,"

   "Alright... why-" I bit my tongue, feeling my cheeks warm up, I shouldn't be worrying about that when someone very much wanted me dead. Rom caught on to my embarrassment,

   "Why what?"

   "Why did you kiss me?" I rushed on, feeling like a complete moron, "Because the only reasons I can think of is that you resent being given the task to watch over me and kissed me to liven this job up,"

   "You don't give yourself enough credit," he managed a charming grin, "Have you ever considered that I kissed you because I like you?"

   I snorted indelicately, "Flattering but doubtful - you don't know me."

   "On the contrary, pumpkin, I know almost everything there is to know about you, you were born in Harlow, England, along with your twin, Jonno, at the age of four your youngest sister was born and you moved to Lancashire. At ten you went to boarding school but were expelled for 'insolent' behaviour.

   Two weeks before your sixteenth birthday you met Logan, four weeks later you were forced to continually move from place to place, finally settling in Whitby for two month before you were forced to kill Logan. You fled England and moved to Lupa Beach were you got involved with the murder of Cornelia Skye, you met the Ambush and the Wrangell -St Elias pack and had a brief romance with Tobias Jayne," I wasn't breathing. Half because I was stunned and half because I'd swallowed a jelly baby whole.

   A yellow one, too, I hated yellow.

   "Okay," I gasped after glugging some water down, "So you've done your homework, that doesn't mean you know me. That's a different type of knowing."

   He leant a little closer, one arm going over the back of the bench like a heater on my shoulders, I edged away but he didn't seem too fussed, "Okay then. You broke your arm when you were seven - you'd told Jonno that you could fly and jumped off the roof of your garage.
  
   You like sweets more than savoury foods; however you prefer chewy sweets over chocolate. You chew your lip when you're anxious, you're green eye goes blue when you're happy, you tilt your head more to the left when you're listening with your mind, and tilt it to the right when you listen with your ears. You hate rap but love classic rock, especially AC/DC only because it blocks-"

    "Okay! Enough!" I snapped, standing up, I turned to glare at him, edging closer to my car, "How long have you been protecting me?"

   His violet eyes were soft as he looked up at me, his expression caring and... tender, "A very long time, Evelyn. I've watched you grow up, I saw you take your first step, I was there when you learnt to ride your bike with no stabilisers, I was there to call the ambulance when you fell off the ladder at the school play and hit your head, I was there when you won first place in the national Fencing Tournament. I was always there."

   No you weren't! I wanted to shout, he wasn't there to protect me. But I was still, oddly, touched that he had been like my guardian angel almost all my life. But he wasn't always there! Was he there when I had to try and resuscitate Ben, trying to hold his throat together? No. Was he there when I found Rob, drowning in his own blood? No! I bit my lip and looked away, across the car park, anywhere but him so he wouldn't see my eyes,

   "Ah, Pumpkin, don't," I wondered if he knew to use that tone because I couldn't help but soften at the pain his voice held. He was suddenly standing in front of me, I protested weakly, he wasn't strong enough to be moving about.

   All thoughts were forgotten when he gently held my face in his hands, forcing me to look up at him, "I couldn't, I wasn't allowed to intervene, to reveal myself. You weren't ready, but I swear if I could I would have done everything in my power to stop what that vampire did to you! I promise I will make it up to you!"

   His hands left my face as soon as I nodded, accepting his promise, he trapped me in the cage of his arms as he leant on the car. I could see him shaking with the effort and tried to make him sit down. He refused to budge, just dropped his head on my shoulder and took deep shuddering breaths.

   "Why now? Why reveal yourself now?" I asked weakly, overwhelmed by his closeness.

   "Because you are no longer with him," he muttered and I scolded my heart for leaping when he stepped just a little closer, pushing me nearer to the car.

   "With who?" I asked weakly, trying very hard to focus on forming coherent sentences.

   "That fairy, Calhoun," now that hit me like a slap in the face, I stiffened and Rom noticed that, he rubbed his face against my shoulder, a very animal like movement, was his wolf surfacing to help him heal? "He would not allow us near you."

   "Why is that important?" I demanded gently pushing on his shoulders to make him look me in the eyes, the violet in them was breath taking. Definitely not a good idea.

   "Because you are too valuable for him to keep locked away," he mumbled, looking down at my hands that rested on his chest, I quickly drew them back. He frowned, a faint line between his eyebrows as if he were arguing to himself, and when his expression cleared I wasn't too sure what the result had been, until his violet eyes bore into mine with an intensity that took my breath away.

   Holding my face in his fingertips like I were the most precious and delicate jewel he studied me long and hard. And then his eyes lingered on my lips, I couldn't help but chew them in nervous anticipation and he stooped down.

   His lips brushed over my mismatched eyes, over the freckle on my left cheek, on my nose, the corners of my lips, and then, finally, when I thought I might scream in frustration, those torturing lips crushed down on mine.

   He kissed me such a long time I thought I saw stars, and then he let me go. When he did I couldn't help the disappointed whine that escaped my throat and I looked up at him, hurt and bewildered, why had he stopped?

   "Sorry... I overestimated my strength," I frowned at him, he managed a quick lovably apologetic smile before he slumped to his knees, then toppled to the side, unconscious. I yelped and tried to catch him but, damn, that guy was heavy. I winced as he thudded to the ground then quickly dropped to my knees, checking for a pulse.

   "Rom?" I asked anxiously, his heart rate was almost too fast to count, his breathing shallow and his eyes had rolled almost right back into his head, creepy.

   "Don't worry about the Roman, he's tough, he'll live," I looked up sharply at the gruff male voice and instantly got to my feet, slipping into a defensive position, my hand itching for the small dagger I always carried strapped in a holster on my ribs.

   They guy was huge, not taller than Rom but much broader, the black tee shirt he wore only enhanced the width of his shoulders, the thickness of his arms. A thick wild mane of black hair framed a square face obscured by a black beard, his large nose was crooked, indicating he'd broken it several times, and sharp green as grass eyes studied me with amusement. There was no way I'd be able to protect myself against this man but damned if I wasn't going down without a fight.

   "Just like a lioness, Rom was right," he said, he voice was scratchy and I wondered if it hurt for him to speak, he pointed to the man at my feet, "He's my associate, I was alerted to his injuries - we must take him back so we can purge the silver from his system."

   "'We'?" I repeated, stepping to the side as the big man strode forward, closing the ten foot gap between us in two long steps. He picked up Rom and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. It looked rather odd, since Rom was taller than the stranger.

    "I have been asked to tell you that the Council of the Sky request your attendance at the summit - today," I frowned at the man, hoping he'd elaborate but he'd already turned his back and was walking away, to a small back street away from the busy road. I had no choice but to kiss my car goodbye and follow.

   "Council of the Sky? Where is that? Because if it's in the sky like the name suggests I have to warn you I don't like heights," I trotted to his side and looked up at him, he barely glanced at me as he said,

   "It's on the ground, or, rather, it's under," right, because that made sense, Mr. Helpful.

   "Okay... how do we get there?" I was wondering who the hell the Council of the Sky was, it sounded important... could it be Weres? I mean, they employed Weres, didn't that mean they were Weres? And I couldn't read the man's mind because he was as closed off as Rom had been. Old. Again. I wondered if he was a Viking.

   "What is your name?" I inquired as politely as possible as the giant came to a stop, rummaging through his pockets for something.

   "My name is Conan," I stifled a laugh, bit my lip and smothered my smile when he turned to look at me. I knew he was a Viking!

   "It's a pleasure to meet you, Conan," I said politely and he narrowed his eyes before setting a small black stone ring on the ground. I watched curiously as some odd, delicate letters appeared on the surface, spiralling in a glowing cyan around the circle. And then there was a shimmer in the air, a flash of brilliant light,

   A hand came down on my shoulder, a voice roared in my ear, "JUMP!"

   I didn't jump for vampires but when a Viking with a hand large enough to crush a man's skull shouts for you to jump, you jump.

   So I jumped, and when I expected come down, landing on solid ground, I was left suspended in air, the oddest sensation running through my body as I hung weightlessly in a bright enveloping light.

   I wondered if this was how astronauts felt in space, completely out of control, one movement threatening to spin you off course.

   And then there was a horrible whooshing noise, like a jet flying way too low.

   All of a sudden gravity returned and with arms and legs flailing I fell. I hit the ground ungracefully, landing on a heap on the floor. Cold marble, I soon realised, as I tried to push myself off my but. Conan the Viking stood easily beside me, having landed easily, I scowled at him but he ignored it, just gestured forward,

   "Tada," he announced, unimpressed, I got the feeling he was trying not to do a Doctor Who impression and jump around excitedly saying, 'Look, look! It's bigger on the inside!'

   I stood up slowly, mouth hanging open. He said it was underground, but I had not been expecting what I saw. Though we were underground there seemed to be an untraceable source of light, because I could see clear as day.

   It was like a huge underground city. We seemed to stand at the very bottom of a huge hollow vertical tunnel, above us bridges and suspended pathways connected passages and corridors. Windows and balconies showed rows up on rows of houses and other buildings, in parallel columns.

   It all seemed to be carved out of rock, white marble, mottled here and there with different colours, whilst plants grew easily as if the rock were dirt. The smooth walls were adorned with jewels and priceless treasures, statues and figurines looked out over the city like protecting, ever watchful angels. And even more surprisingly were the birds that flew in flocks from perch to perch, multi coloured and exotic, nothing like the ones back on... earth.

   "Conan," I managed in a hushed voice that seemed to echo up, out and everywhere, bouncing off the walls, "Where the bloody hell are we?"

   He spared me a vaguely sympathetic cursory glance before turning away, "Welcome to the Seelie Court."

   Well f**k a duck and paint me screwed. The fairies had finally come to take me away.

 

6.
   He'd left me. Conan had left me, and now I was all alone in a big unfamiliar city surrounded by strangers and trying not to panic.

   Even though there were a lot of things to panic about. Like my car, all alone in a shifty neighbourhood! I'd resigned myself to the fact that it would not be there when I got back, if I got back.

   I looked up from my seat and glanced around, trying not to stare. When we'd arrived Conan had let me absorb everything before leading me towards an arch which led through to some smaller room, and then he'd sat me down on a bench and told me to wait, they'll come for me when they're ready.

   The room was small compared to everything else, I suppose, like the size of a bungalow but very tall, the ceiling domed and decorated with more carvings of angelic people and creatures, but half of the ceiling decorations were obscured by plants and even the wall beside me was swathed in a beautiful mass of green twisting vines and bright blue flowers. I very much wanted to lean over and smell the flowers, and if I had been alone I would have done.

   A fountain took up most of the floor; it was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. In the centre of a calm sparkling pool balanced two playful, graceful otters, reaching up for a detailed figure of a fish. The three creatures were made of white stone and balanced on clear crystal that spiralled out around them, catching the water spurting from the fish's mouth and sending it running down in the pool.

   I wondered if the water was as cool as it looked but I something told me this was not the type of fountain you could wade around in.

   And the guards posted at various points of the room looked like they were just waiting for an excuse to behead me.

   There were six of them. They weren't fairies, I knew what fairies without glamour looked like, and these guys looked nothing like them. They were elves. And they were terrifying. It wasn't that they were hideous, just that they were so overwhelmingly stunning. It was an other-worldly beauty yet somehow natural at the same time.

   They had long shining hair, ranging from colours white as snow to black as night. Their skin was flawless and brushed with a light tan, their faces defined and delicate yet strong. Their slanted eyes glittered with life and colour; their ears were pointed at the tips and their bodies long and slender, the epithet of grace and elegance.

   Next to them I felt frumpy and ugly, a hobo amongst royalty. These guys would have made the Abercrombie and Fitch models look ugly! It wasn't the nicest of feelings. I sort of wished Conan was here so that his wonky nose and hairy face would drag their attention away from my frizzy hair and split ends.

   And these guys were just guards! They wore a sort of uniform, a rich royal blue tunic, black trousers tucked into russet leather boots. A golden emblem of twists and curves was embossed on their chests and I wondered if it meant something. On their belts were long curved silver bluish swords, thin but long, and probably even deadlier than a samurai sword.

   Suddenly my puny knife on my ribs felt even punier.

   I fidgeted on the bench, crossed my legs and uncrossed them, wished that I'd brought my sweets, or at least had a piece of paper and a pencil to draw on.

   Chirping and bird song dragged my eyes up and I watched as a flock of birds flew under the arch, then moving fluidly as if it were a dance and they were one body they zipped around the ceiling, a mass of shifting and swirling colours.

   They landed as one on the fragile branches of the bush, then disappeared into the leaves, the soft squawks and chirps fading away.

   The elves barely glanced up to watch them and I wondered how often they saw such an awesome display.

   I couldn't read their minds, whereas fairies were an excited indiscernible jumble and vampires were just dead, these elves seemed had few thoughts, and when they did it was talk, just a faint hum, too fast for me to understand and there were too few for me to decipher properly.

   I was about to start a conversation when the doors at the opposite end of the room groaned and banged. I watched as the large wooden doors creaked open, the elf guards standing to attention. I stood up slowly, looking round the fountain, trying to see what was through the doors, all I could make out was a person emerging from a glowing light.

   And the person, now she was definitely a fairy. Calhoun had once taken off his glamour and revealed what fairies looked like when they weren't pretending. And it was... odd. Odd to suddenly see you father turn into a tall green skinned man with thick russet hair and black eyes, pointier ears than elves and, well, wings.

   The person that came out looked a lot like that, only, instead of having green skin she had pink, like proper rosy pink, and thick violet curls, her eyes were a shade lighter than black but she was still terrifying.
 
   She flew around the fountain on translucent glowing purple wings, shaped a lot like dragon fly wings. Wearing a long white dress that clung to her long limbs and over her feet she looked like some an angel that had been dunked in pink dye.

   She stopped in front of me and looked me up and down, her dark arching eyebrows drawing down into a frown,

   "So you're Calhoun's daughter," her voice chimed like bells. What had I learnt about fairies? Oh yeah, they could be either really nice or they could be really, really evil.

   "Was. I abjured him," I replied calmly, best not to get on the wrong sides of fairies, I'd have to keep the attitude to a minimum.

   "We'll see. Come," she commanded and fluttered back towards the door, leaving me no choice but to follow her. I nodded politely to the elves guarding the doors, I hadn't missed their look of disgust, directed at the doors and what lay beyond, it sort of put me off following her. But then I shook myself and stepped after her into the light.

   I soon realised why it was so bright. As my eyes adjusted I tried really hard not to panic, just taking deep breaths I took in the sight. I couldn't help the awed cuss that escaped my lips as I stood up to the barrier almost directly in front of the steps.

   We'd stepped out onto a platform, entering another underground city, this time it was a huge uneven semi circle, the dark roof above us was domed whilst houses and settlements cut into the rough stone walls, or stuck out like a badly put together Lego building.

   Hanging from the domed roof was a huge circular object, like a giant matt disco ball, so bright it was like a miniature moon, it seemed to be the source of light for this city, whereas back in the Seelie court the light was just... there.

   Looking down I could see the bottom, almost a mile below, and it reflected the small moon, revealing the bottom to be a calm lake or something.

   "Bloody hell... how many fairies live here?" I asked the woman and she shrugged a delicate shoulder, sparing the city below a cursory glance,

   "A few thousand, not as many as the elves - a lot of the fairies like to live up top. Now, come on, we're late," she beckoned me to a bridge and I realised we'd have to walk across the wall-less pathway to the big glowing ball. I froze before I'd even stepped on to the suspended path, she was already five metres away when she realised I wasn't behind her.

   "What are you doing? Didn't you hear me? We are late," she huffed, pointing the path at her feet; I glanced over the edge and clung to the banister until my knuckles creaked.

   "I don't like heights," I squeaked and she rolled her eyes, folding her arms,
  
   "There's nothing to be afraid of," I could hear her exasperation from where I stood.

   "Easy for you to say! You have wings!" I cried back but she just raised an eyebrow in amusement, I scowled, unsympathetic cow!

   "Then you can stay there, I do not want to be punished for being late," and she zipped away, leaving me alone. I watched her disappear into the white ball, fifty yards away.

   Crap. Crap, crap, crappity crap. "Screw this," I grit my teeth, rolled my shoulders and began psyching myself up like I did before a fencing tournament, and then, saying a little prayer to the God I didn't believe in, I let go of the barrier and ran.

   I think I set the world record for the fifty metre sprint. Legs pounding underneath me I refused to look down and just focused on staying in a straight line aiming for the odd glowing globe. If I fell I was going to come back and be Fairy towns very own poltergeist.

   I rushed through the arching doors and skidded to a halt, breathing heavily and my heart racing like I'd just run a marathon, not a fifty yard sprint. You'd think by now I would have gotten used to running, I mean, there was that time in Las Vegas when the vampires let a troll loose... huh, Las Vegas. Something niggled at the back of my mind, something important, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it,

   "See, that wasn't so bad," I glared at the woman, she was stood at the end of a small hallway, at another pair of tall white doors, she was grinning, a little condescending smile that made my blood boil with anger.

   "Are you afraid of anything?" I demanded, storming up to her, she blinked, taken a back and stunned into answering,

   "Dogs," she answered immediately then glowered as if she couldn't believe she had answered,

   I pointed at her angrily, "Then imagine being stuck in a room with the biggest damn dog and see how you like it! And I bet you'd hate it even more if there was someone there laughing and saying 'There's nothing to be afraid of'! It's not nice!"

   She scowled, like she didn't want to admit I was right, I grinned and tapped my invisible watch, "now, aren't we late?"

   Muttering about me she turned to the doors and pushed them open. This time I tried not to gawk like an idiot, I'd decided that whoever I was going to meet would not take well to someone who was struck dumb by every pretty flower or jewel.

   Saying that, though, it was hard to focus on keeping my mouth shut and my eyes down as I followed the woman. The place was huge! And white! And bright! Almost painful to look at, like snow glaring in the cold sun. The floor was so shiny it was almost a mirror, the sides of the building curved up in rows of seats, which thankfully were empty.

   However the front held ten large throne like seats, made of twisted silver and white gold, cold, magnificent and odd all in one, a lot like the people sat in them bar one.

   There were three women and four men, your typical fairies, the one sat in the middle looked the most grand so I could assume she was probably royalty, with long silver hair framing a sharp yet delicate white face and a white dress hugging her slim figure she was a lot like an Ice Queen, and she watched me with an impassive expression, her crystal blue eyes taking in my loose cotton trousers, my leather jacket and Mr Grumpy vest.

   The others were almost impressive, with skin colours almost as vibrant as the rainbow, wearing human inspired clothes, the men in shirts unbuttoned from the top and dark trousers, whilst another woman wore the type of gown you'd see on the red carpet, another wore suit pinstripe trousers and a red blouse, matching her ruby red hair. She was the only one who smiled at me as I studied them.

   "You are late," the ice queen stated in a ringing emotionless voice. I thought it was odd; most fairies I met were fun and free. Damn Calhoun not teaching me more about our race.

   "I am sorry your grace," Pinky bowed her head, she stopped flying and landing softly on her feet, she moved away leaving me alone in front of the fairies.

   "So, you are Phoebe Marie Èibhlin Sullivan," the queen tilted her head and studied me thoughtfully.

   "Just Èibhlin, please, I left that life behind me," pat on the back for Evie! Did my voice stutter? No it did not! Score!

   "Did you really? Can you honestly say you have no ties to your family?" she leant forward, a hard look in her eyes and I had no idea why she was pushing it but I did know I didn't like her patronising drawl, standing a little straighter and I met her eyes unflinchingly.
  
   "They are my family, I will always love them, but they aren't a part of my life anymore," I realised then that I was telling the truth. I hadn't spoken to any of them for three quarters of the year, I hadn't spoken to them, only once.

   One week into working with Asher I'd caved and called home, hoping to smooth things over with my family.

   Jonno had answered and very colourfully told me I was the most selfish cow he had ever known and that if I wanted to help the family I would never try and contact them again. I'd been so stunned I could only say okay, and he hung up.

   So really they'd cut me from their lives just as I'd cut them from mine.

   The queen's face softened a little as she sat back in her chair, "We had to be sure that you had no ties to Calhoun D�™mhnallach the Just."

   "Yes, I got the feeling you don't like him, is there a reason for that?" I didn't care that a spoke a little too forwardly but I was getting anxious, there had to be a reason they wanted me here.

   One of the men sat up stiffly in his chair and pierced me with an angry glare, I returned it mildly. He was handsome, annoyingly so, with cropped shining dark blue hair that stuck up at odd angles, a strong square jaw with numerous tattoos running over his neck, extending out onto his jaw slightly, and dark obsidian eyes hidden under scowling eyebrows, he had dark russet skin and looked... terrifying, even in that cool crisp black silk shirt, dark jeans, leather boots and cowboy hat.

   He obviously didn't like the way I spoke to his queen. But I stared defiantly into his eyes and waited for him to say something. Something changed though, as I looked at him, almost like a sharp feeling that burned in my chest - like heart burn only ten times worse - before exploding out and spreading throughout my body. When it went I shivered, suddenly cold without it. All of this must have happened in the blink of an eye because no one else seemed to notice I had... what had happened?

   Had that b*****d used magic on me? I glared at him but saw that he was looking equally unsettled. The queen coughed delicately, eyes shifting between me and the fairy before settling on me again.

   "I suppose for you to understand we must start at the beginning," the queen said, "My name is Queen Éabha and this is my council. Together we are the Council of the Sky. Our word is law and all fairies, whatever species, must follow those laws. Your father once sat on this council, in that chair," I followed her slender finger to the chair and narrowed my eyes; I'd never seen Calhoun as the law abiding type to be honest, let alone law enforcer.

   "He was a good man, charming, fair, compassionate, I guess I considered him my friend. However, thirty years ago that changed. He broke the fundamental law: to protect kin no matter the cost. As you seem to understand, Èibhlin, family is very important. But your father chose a human over his kin. He chose your mother," Éabha clenched her jaw and her eyes hardened, I bristled, what was wrong with my mother? Then I realised, a little late maybe, that Éabha had been fond of Calhoun.

   "Another fairy was interested in your mother, a very good friend of Calhoun's, however the thought of your mother being with that man over him... angered Calhoun. But they seemingly settled their differences and swore that neither could have her. But the friend continued pursuing her, and Calhoun got angry. When he could have simply ordered the man to leave he... killed him.

   "Your father failed to see how he was in the wrong. After all, they had both sworn to leave the woman be, but the other had broken his word, automatically meaning Calhoun could punish the man however way he wanted. But murder was too drastic. Calhoun declared our laws flawed and abandoned us. His seat has been empty ever since."

   I was stunned. Who would have thought Calhoun had murdered for mum? I knew Calhoun was a lot of things but murderer had not been one of them.

   The queen wasn't finished, "There are no fairies powerful enough to fill his place, until you."

   Have you ever done that thing, when you think there's another step at the top of the stairs and when your foot comes down on nothing? The feeling that comes with it? When your heart misses a beat and you feel a little shaky after? That was how I felt.

   "We could not approach you as you were connected to Calhoun, automatically his reputation as a deserter prevented you from replacing him. However when you abjured him you severed all ties to him, making you a perfect candidate," she sounded positively gleeful.

   "I'm not a full fairy-"

   "We can change that," the red head now spoke up, she smiled brilliantly and crossed her legs gracefully, leaning forwards eagerly, "There is magic to make you a full blood, it will purge the human side of you."

   "That... sounds painful," I managed, thinking furiously, how the hell to decline without being beheaded?

   "Few survive," the red head agreed, shrugging a dainty shoulder, "But your magic is so strong - the strongest of all your siblings."

   Now that felt like a slap in the face. I was only a damn telepath, how does that make me stronger? Then I remembered the fact I could control the weather, and Calhoun had said I was still developing... the way he had said it, like it was a bad thing. He had known. B*****d.

   "I see you hesitate," the queen observed. "You understand if there was anyone else I would have picked them. But you are the only one, Èibhlin, and time is running out."

   I frowned, "what do you mean time is running out? What for?"

   "Things are changing, Èibhlin, we need to be as strong as we can be to survive," she said ominously and unhelpfully. All I knew was that it probably wasn't good change.

   "Evelyn!" I turned as the doors behind us burst open and Roman, fully dressed now, ran towards me, followed by a grumpy looking Conan. There was a noise of irritation from the fairies but other than bowing his head slightly Roman barely acknowledged them.

   "Should you be up?" I asked anxiously, looking for any signs of pain, but the silver seemed to have been removed from his system, he ignored my question and just skidded to a stop in front of me,

   "Evie you don't have to do anything you want to do," he told me seriously and I guessed he knew what the Queen had been asking of me.

   I looked at the Fairies, my eyes involuntarily rested on the dark cowboy, drawn to him like a fat woman to cake. Meeting his dark glittering eyes I felt a rush of warmth again, I shivered though and moved on. Each Fairy was very serious, like life and death serious. My eyes lingered on the empty chair and I felt a small thrill of excitement and anticipation.

   Choice, I'd told Richard. Life was all about choices, and scarily enough I got the feeling that it was not just my life that rested in the choice I made now, but hundreds of others. It was not a nice feeling. Much too much pressure.

   I turned and mustered a brave smile for Roman and looked up solemnly into his eyes, "Rom, I have a very, very serious question to ask you,"

   He nodded just as grave, "Anything,"

   "What would Jesus do?"

 

 

7.
   Éabha gave me one day to decide.

   One day. It wasn't all that long when you thought about how much would change. I'd become a full fairy, I'd become a member of the Council, and I'd be alongside the queen ruling fairy land.

   Roman and Conan had led me out of the orb to a quiet place to think, both quiet and thoughtful as they walked. It began to get a little unsettling and I really needed to distract myself from the heights. We were walking down some steps with just a small barrier between us and a mile long drop.

   "So, are you werewolves? How did you get into working for the fairies?" I didn't miss the look they shared, Roman was the one who answered after a little hesitation,

   "We are, yes, werewolves, and we have been working alongside the fairies ever since the Hunts. There are only a few of us now... you get to a certain age when you just want to move on," I hesitated when he said that, guessing that he meant 'to die'. I hoped I never reached an age when I didn't want to live.

   I wondered how many of Rom's friends had 'died'. Then decided I didn't want to think about it, because it made me think that he might want to die, at some point.

   I was reminded of my late grandfather. A month maybe before I met Logan he'd had a heart attack, and when I went to see him in hospital I learnt from his mind he wasn't taking his medicine. He wanted to die.

   I was young, I was naïve, I asked him about it. I felt his sorrow and exhaustion as if it were my own, 'So tired, Phoebe, I'm so tired, things are moving too fast for an old man like me to keep up with'. And I told no one that he wasn't taking his medicine. He died that night.

   "I guess everyone reaches that point when they just can't put one foot in front of the other," I murmured. The two men glanced back at me and I blushed, looking down at my feet. I'd seen it in their faces, I was right. They no longer enjoyed life like they used to. Would I, at some point, feel that way too?

   I really hoped not.

   "In here," Conan pushed open a neat wooden door and I followed Rom into an average sized room, there were no windows but it didn't need them, small globes hung from the ceiling whilst beautiful paintings lined the walls. I crossed the wooden floor and slumped into small cushioned chair, I had to resist putting my feet up on the coffee table in front of me.

   Too much had happened.

   "Can I get you anything, Evie?" Rom asked, standing in front of me, I shook my head and motioned to the chairs in front of me, both he and Conan declined,

   "We have to go," he and Conan shared a look and I frowned, worried,

   "What's wrong?" I knew there was something bothering them.

   Rom leant over and placed a kiss on my forehead, holding my hand, "Don't worry about anything, pumpkin, I promise you that you're safe here."

   "That's not what's bothering me - are you safe?" he grinned cockily and went to join Conan at the door,

   "I'm never safe pumpkin, but for you I will try," he winked and left.

   I sat in silence for a little bit, mentally cursing God. I didn't want to be here, I wanted to be back in Los Angeles, helping Asher, doing something useful. At least there I might be able to help!

   Here I was just an eighteen year old way out of my league, I wasn't even a sixth of their ages probably, and definitely not as smart, and yet there they were, offering me a seat on their all mighty council.

   "Roman cares about you," a voice chimed and I almost jumped out of my skin, I looked at the woman sat in the chair opposite me. The red head from before,

   "Hello," I said stupidly and she grinned, it was a reassuring smile, warming me and allowing me to relax.

   "We did not get a chance to talk properly, my name is Saibh, I am Éabha's sister," well now that was a shock, they were such opposites, however looking at her I could see the similarities, the long straight nose, the arching brows and small curved lips. "You look surprised."

   "You're just so different," I explained lamely and she smiled,

   "My sister represents balance, or you could call her winter, the season that brings forth change only through a bitter biting cold. Yes, much more appropriate," she nodded firmly then tugged on a red curl as she turned in the chair, dangling her legs over the arm rest, "Me, I'm more like summer. I make things hot."

   I felt the air warm and her fingers changed to flames. I blinked and she shook her hand, getting rid of the fire to reveal unharmed pink fingers once again.

   "Elemental fairies are much stronger than others, that's why we need you - you can control the cold, yes?" there was something in her voice when she said it and I nodded slowly, telling her I hadn't quite got the hang of it though, "Don't worry, it takes practice, plus, your human blood makes it harder,"

   "Are you trying to persuade me to go for this 'purging' thing?" I asked suspiciously and she shrugged,

   "Guilty. What can I say? Things are shite. We need you, if it were me I wouldn't give you a choice but Éabha has a soft spot for you," she didn't even sound ashamed.

   "Well," I fell back in my chair, "thanks for the brutal honesty. I don't know whether I prefer that or lying."

   "Nah, you prefer honesty, although you usually prefer it when you read it from minds not from the mouth. However, if someone does lie you enjoy to finding out the truth - so that counts as liking honesty, right?" she tapped her nose whilst I stared at her, "I've done my homework!"

   "Right... it seems a little unfair that you know so much about me and I know nothing about you and the Council. Who were they?" and who was the cowboy with the odd magic.

   "Oh, the one sat on Éabha's left was Thom, he's from Ireland, a sweetie really, he's an Iron Fae, when he's not down here he's up top playing the role of an ordinary greasy mechanic." Right, the wild grey haired one with the handle bar moustache and pitch black skin. "Um, the yellow one?"

   "Lisa Simpson," I guessed and she laughed, it was true though, she had been wearing an orangey dress and pearls and her hair was golden as wheat.

   "No, and I advise you not to say that to her face, Aurélie and she owns a fashion business in Paris - she is to be pitied. She thinks herself the creator of love - like Venus - yet she someone who loves only their reflection knows nothing of real love," Saibh didn't sound disgusted, only pitying.

   "'The only cure for vanity is laughter, and the only fault that is laughable is vanity'," I quoted mildly, "Who said that?"

   "I don't know but its spot on. The blue one, with the brown hair and funky nose? That's Perran - he's a lot more attractive with glamour, trust me, we all try not to stare at the nose. You did a good job not looking, he's a big burly man and thinks he looks godly - he'd take your staring the wrong way. I haven't the heart to tell him he looks like a pig and I've known him for centuries - unfortunately," she pulled a face and I couldn't help but laugh. She was so ordinary, save for the pointy ears, slightly sharp teeth and glowing wings at her back.

   "The professor looking one is Jekyll, although sometimes he's Hyde too -don't ask, he changed his name - he's an okay guy, just don't get on the wrong side of him," I remembered the man, he had been a respectably dressed man with an owlish look to him. I couldn't see why he'd called himself Jekyll but I was pretty sure I didn't want to find out.

   "And the cowboy?" I asked tentatively, I didn't miss the sly look she gave me. I couldn't understand my own interest in him either, it wasn't like I knew the guy, I just wanted to know who he was so when I next saw him I could demand to know why he used magic on me.

   "That's Bran, he's a tricky fellah... you be careful with him, sweetheart," she nodded knowingly and I frowned, drawing my legs up to my chest. We sat in silence for a little bit, "have you decided yet?"

   "I thought I have a day?" I almost whimpered and she grinned,

   "Just checking. I'm the impatient sort, you see, anyway I have to go, you stay here and I'll send Meghann for you," seeing my confused look she grinned, "The pink one afraid of dogs,"

   "Oh," I waved as she went to the door and then she was gone.

   Alone again. I sighed heavily. Now for the hard part. To be or not to be? That is the question.

 

 

8.
   "You're early," Éabha stated as I stood in front of her and her council. I fidgeted nervously, tugging at my sleeves. I'd asked Meghann to bring me to see them when she came to see if I needed anything four hours into my brooding.

   "Have you come to a decision?" Saibh asked, leaning forward on her seat eagerly and I bit my lip, trying to focus only on the queen.

   "Yes, I have," I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders, this decision would change my life, I would probably end up regretting it for the rest of my life. "Where's Rom and Conan?"

   "They're duty protecting you ended the moment you stepped into the Seelie Court," Saibh answered, waving a dismissive hand, "They've got another job now."

   Did that mean I wouldn't see them again? No, I thought stubbornly, I'd definitely see Rom again.

   "Your decision is?" Éabha pushed, my eyes travelled over the council, taking them all. I lingered on the empty chair, then at Bran. He met my gaze but I couldn't make out any emotion in his black eyes. I looked back at the queen. I could figure out Bran's mumbo jumbo later.

   "I'm... I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline," there was a general murmur and shifting in seats. Saibh fell back in her seat, a dumbfounded look on her face. Éabha only looked vaguely disappointed before her eyes hardened into cold crystals.

   "Oh?"

   "W-wait, maybe you haven't had long enough to think about it-" Saibh started but I shook my head,

   "No, I think I've had enough time, really," I didn't miss the look of anger that crossed her face. I had to be calm, I had to go through with this decision, and I knew it was the right one. "I like being human."

   "Who's to say you won't like being a full blood?" Aurélie snapped and I smiled at her,

   "No one, but I'm not going to risk that," before they could try and argue some more with me I went on, "Plus I'm probably doing you a favour, I'd be a crap council member - I'm rubbish with responsibility."

   "You do not know that-" Saibh began to argue but shut up when her sister waved her hand imperiously,

   "She has made her decision, sister, leave it be," she turned back to looking at me, "I regret that you do not wish to join us, however I respect your choice. What will you do from here?"

   I scratched my chin, wondering if it would really be that easy, if they would just let me go. Would they let me go without a fight?

  "I made a promise, and I don't like to break them - it's not so good for my reputation, not that I had a reputation to begin with but you have to start somewhere," I tried to smile at them but I could see they were beyond smiling. So much for Fairies being the cheerful ones...

   "You're going back to the vampires and the animals," Aurélie sneered

   "I know where I stand with them," I replied absently and though she was the one talking I was more focused on Saibh's reaction. She had leant back and was the trying to hide her fury. So much anger. I could see why her magic was fire, and her sister was much 'cooler'. I put my hands up, "But I'm not here to argue, I'll just go on home and we can all put this behind us. I'm obviously not your gal."

   "No one but a D�™mhnallach can fill this seat! Can complete our council! Without a full council our laws do not hold-" Perran began but again Éabha silenced him.

   "Send her home," she said,

   "But-"

   "Now," she commanded and that was how ten minutes later I was back in the alley I had been standing in only a few hours before.

   Back in the open, hot air of Los Angeles. I didn't particularly understand how I had gotten back and I wasn't about to think on it, I'd probably end up giving myself a headache.

   Mulling over the things that had just happened I made my way back to the car park, hoping that my car was still there.

   And lo and behold, when I rounded the corner there she was, my baby waited alone and unharmed right where I'd left her. Finally, something that brought a genuine smile to my face.

   I about twenty feet away, reaching into my trouser pockets for the keys when I heard it. A sharp, piercing whine that stopped me in my tracks.

   "What the hell-" I started but I was suddenly hit by something from the side at about the same time my car blew up. Something smothered me, trapping me against the ground as a huge heat wave hit me. Through my shock I realised it was man lying on top of me, I got a face full of black silk and solid shoulder, I tried to push whoever it was away but he stayed obstinately still. Through the arms of me 'rescuer' I could see debris raining down on the ground.

   I clung to the figure above me until the noise fizzled out into the constant roar of a burning fire. "Gerroff!" I finally shoved the person away and leapt to my feet, staring at the burning wreckage that had once been my car.

   "Why, God? Like my life wasn't bad enough already and you went and did this to me!" I yelled at the sky, kicking at the twisted piece of metal that had once been my number plate. "My car! My goddamn car!"

   "What are you complaining about? You're alive aren't you?" I finally turned to look at the person who had so bravely knocked me away from the explosion.

   "Yes I'm alive but that doesn't change the fact that someone blew up my car!" I snapped, my fear and anger completely blocked any surprise I felt at seeing Bran sat on the floor. Brushing dust from his black shirt and straightening his hat he looked up at me under the glare of the sun looking like he rescued people from explosions every damn day.

   It was odd, seeing him there. He stood up slowly and joined me, looking over the wreckage as the wail of police sirens grew louder and the piercing screams of people who had witnessed it finally broke through my shock.

   "Someone just tried to kill me," was the only dumb thing I could think of saying.

   "Mmm, can't for the life of me see why," Bran drawled, Texan, figures.

   "Shut up, you know I'm blaming the fairies for this one," I told him seriously as I turned away from the wreckage and started down the street, just as police cars and fire trucks pulled up.

   "And how'd you jump to that conclusion?" he asked in my ear, leaning just a little too close as he walked beside. So close I could have sworn he was touching, and yet he inch that separated us felt like a yawning abyss, a part of me yearned for his touch.

   Which was ridiculous, it wasn't like we had any romantic feelings for one another, I mean, the only vibe I'd gotten from Bran was hate, plus we hardly knew each other.

   Yeah, like you know Rom, my little snide conscious drawled. And you'd already played tongue wars with him.

   That was different! He knew me - all my life, I snapped back. Then again, it was a little weird, I mean, the guy had watched me grow up.

   I suddenly realised Bran was still waiting on an answer and snapped out of my mental argument.

   "Please, I'm not stupid, I just turned down an offer that would have restored the Council of the Sky to their full glory, it's bound to piss them off," I shrugged and standing on the pavement I hailed a taxi, trying not to look at the fairy because every time I did I was pretty sure he was using magic on me.

   What else could explain this insane connection I felt with him?

   "If the Council did it why would I have saved you?" he countered and I grinned sourly,

  "How did you know my car was going to blow up if the council hadn't planned it?" I retorted, knowing that it wasn't really a strong argument. Truth was I had no idea why he had saved me, and I was scared to know the answer.

   "Luck," he held the door of a cab open for me and I narrowed my eyes,

   "Even I'm not that lucky," I slid in and he only proved my point by following me,

   "Where to, Tex?" the cabbie asked but I cut across, giving him an address to Asher's business offices.

   "So, if not your people who?" I demanded as Bran slouched comfortably and gracefully on the dirty leather seats, he shrugged a shoulder,

   "Hyenas maybe?"

   "Doubtful, they didn't know where I was - the only person who has a tracking device on me is Asher and he doesn't want me dead,"

   "How can you be so sure?" Bran asked in a low voice, no doubt trying to plant a seed of doubt in my mind. It wouldn't work,

   "Trust me, Asher needs me. You say change is coming - Asher already knew that, you weren't the only people to start preparing," Bran didn't look happy at that and I fell back into a smug silence. "Why did you save me?"

   "Because the sky is blue," he replied cryptically and I frowned, who knew what the hell he was on about.

   "How did you get to me so fast?" last time I'd seen him he'd been sat in his fancy chair looking for all the life of him like he'd rather be a thousand miles away then listening to the council's vain attempt to persuade me to join their ranks.

   "I followed you," he revealed simply. I got a feeling I wasn't going to get much more from him so we sat in silence, both of us brooding.

   The fairies had just tried to kill me... my detective cap was on. Time to get my head into gear and figure this thing out. There was a connection, I knew, I had glimpsed it earlier.

   The car pulled up and I got out, not before saying to Bran: 'A real gentleman would pay for this'.

   He took the hint, but he still followed me as I crossed the street, making my way to the block of fancy offices. It was a vampire building, so whilst the walls were all glass it was tinted, softening the harsh painful rays of sunlight usually so lethal for vamps.

   Both familiars and vamps worked here, the heart of the Californian Supernatural Community. They ran the Vampire businesses, kept things in check, made sure humans didn't found out about the monsters in the dark.

   I went up to the front desk, asking to see Asher, the woman, dressed in a sharp black suit and wearing bright red lipstick looked me up and down, barely hiding a sneer. None of the familiars liked me, "He is not here but I can take a message and make sure he gets back to you."

   "Huh, so where will you put my message this time?" I drawled, leaning forward and grinning a little savagely, "In the bin or in the shredder?"

   Her eyes narrowed and she purposely looked away from me, seeing Bran a flirtatious expression transformed her from evil b***h to simpering cow. I almost gagged.

   "May I help you, sir?" she asked sweetly and I turned to look at Bran, giving him a mocking look, knowing exactly what 'help' meant to her. I had a very graphic insight to her mind. Unfortunately.

   "We are here to see the Master Vampire, would you be so kind as to send us up?" he leant on the desk, raising his cowboy hat and twitching his lips on one side into a charming smile. I almost groaned at the thoughts coming from her mind.

   "Ah, y-yes, he is in his office, go right on up," she pointed to the elevators and after giving her a sour look I grabbed Bran's arm in a scarily possessive gesture and half dragged him to the elevator doors.

   "Sorry," I muttered, suddenly realising that I still held his arm as we got into the elevator. He didn't respond and I rubbed my hands on my trousers. What had possessed me to grab him? And why the hell had I felt so insanely jealous?

   "Nice girl," he commented, leaning casually on the elevator wall, folding his arms, I humphed.

   "Charming. If you'd seen her mind you see just how charming she was, she was planning a lovely home meal for you - lamb chops and asparagus for main. And then, after, she had a special dessert prepared just for you, you'd have a taste of it at the table, first, and then you'd move to the living room, then the balcony, and maybe, eventually, if you weren't too... full, you'd move on to the bedroom," I gave him a hard look but he was looking down, the rim of his hat hiding his face.

   "Charming... do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice?" he asked and I he lifted his head enough for me to see the flash of white teeth as he smiled.

   "Puh-lease, it's called disgust," I tried not to snap, to keep my voice blasé so it wouldn't be so obvious. But I was unsettled, yes, I was jealous, and I had no reason to be. Stupid, stupid, stupid. "The vampires had better not go mad around you,"

   "I've masked my scent, all I've got is the ears," he lifted his hat to show me those ears but my eyes only strayed down to his tattoos. Now I was closer I could see that they were a swirling mass of vines and runes... Celtic maybe?

   "Where are you from, Bran?" I asked impulsively, mentally cursing myself: I didn't want to learn anything about this man! For all I knew he could have been the one to blow up my car!

   "Here, there, everywhere. I'm so old I barely remember," he winked even though the cheeriness didn't match his serious voice.

   Then the hat was back and the doors pinged open. I gave the fairy one puzzled look before I made my way out to Asher's office. He was on the top floor, figures, and not many people came to see him. Asher liked peace at work, only a rare few disturbed him. Plus it was daytime, it always made vampires ratty, hopefully Asher wouldn't be too bad, especially with the news I had to tell him.

   "Morning Margery," I waved at the grey haired kindly woman sat at her modest mahogany desk. She was in her late fifties and had been working for Asher for thirty years. I didn't have to read her mind to see that she had been in love with Asher for twenty nine of those years,

   "It's afternoon now, dear," she corrected sweetly as I leant down and kissed her cheek, she was a lovely old lady, kept me on the right path - most of the time.

   "Morning, afternoon, same difference. How are your grandkids, Margie?" she had two, Tom and Mike, twin teeny terrors. I'd been to their seventh birthday party and left looking like I'd been through a tornado. A tornado with chocolate cake and face paints.

   "They're very well, thank you," she handed me a wad of papers, looking curiously at the fairy behind me, he tipped his hat politely and she gave me a curious look, old enough to appreciate his looks but not be stunned into speechlessness like a teenage girl.

   "Ignore him, what's all this?" I shuffled through the sheets of paper, "This is a guest list. What the hell is Asher planning now?"

   "Come in and I will tell you," Asher was stood at the door to his office, in a pale blue shirt, unbuttoned at the top with a rich navy waist coat and suit trousers he looked dashing. I wasn't the only one who noticed Margie's reaction towards. Except whilst they all heard her racing heart I heard her thoughts. And the pain and regret of them almost brought tears to my eyes; I had to struggle not to give her a hug.

   "Afternoon Asher," I skipped up to him and gave him the normal kiss on the cheek, before turning to look at Bran, how do I introduce him?

   "You," Asher stated in a dead voice, glaring at the fairy. Huh, so that saved me introductions.

   "Nice to see you again, Asher," Bran grinned and I felt the tension go up a few notches.

   "So you guys know each other then?" I tried to sound cheerful, Asher only glowered some more.

   "We're old pals," Bran came to stand beside me and I shivered, so close but not touching-
  
   No! Snap out of it, Evie! I glared at Bran, knowing that he was trying to antagonise Asher, "Well that's a story for later. Bran why don't you wait out here whilst I talk to Asher?"

   I didn't give him a chance to respond, only grabbed Asher's arm and turned him back into his office. He rounded on me almost immediately, "What are you doing with a fairy? And why did I get the news that your car has been blown to pieces!"

   "It's a long story but I've got other things to talk about!" I waved the guest list around, "What's this? I thought we agreed no parties - they always get out of hand, someone almost always dies!"

   "Well this one will be different-" I laughed at that. When Supers partied they partied hard - and they tended to get carried away, especially the Weres and the Vamps, "Evelyn, this party is important. You know it. That's why I gave you the list, so you can check peoples minds beforehand, forewarned is forearmed. Or something like that... I do get mixed up with your human metaphors."

   "Right, well I'll check them out later," I knew the party was important, man didn't I know it. I'd been working my butt off to make things perfect, it was crucial it all went to plan. "We've got more important things to worry about."

   "More important than this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat behind his large black desk, leaning back in his plush leather chair. Everything about the room was dark, not grim though, more suave.

   "Yes. You have a leak. Jim the banker - you sent him to see me this morning," he nodded and I explained what I had garnered from Jim's mind, Asher's face remained blank but I could almost feel the rage seething from him; he does so hate to be betrayed.

   "He was working with the Hyenas?" he asked, deceptively mild and curious.

   "Yes... however he wouldn't have been able to afford a group of Hyenas like them. They're from Las Vegas, they're bound to be expensive," I walked to the window and leant against it, looking down over the street below. I wasn't afraid of heights when I knew there was something there to protect me.

   "You think his... master ordered the hit?"

   "Yes. I'm sorry to say it, Asher, but you have a traitor in your court," he shook his head, I saw it in the reflection of the window. I pressed on, "Look up Jim in the database, Ash, who is his master?"

   There was a tense silence then the soft click of a keyboard. I waited a few seconds before there was a beep and stepped over to join him. Jim's ugly mug filled the page and Ash scrolled down, scanning the pages faster than I could.

   "His original master was Zara, after her involvement with the underground fight club he, like her other familiars, were disclaimed. Now he has no master, no ties whatsoever to my court, and yet he stays," he sat back in his chair and rested his head on the tips of his fingers. "Zara was originally from Las Vegas. She begged to come over to Los Angeles when she heard of what I was planning. I should have realised after what she did that she was trying to sabotage it."

   "You wouldn't have known... but now we have to find out, if not Zara, then who is controlling Jim? He, like other familiars, has access to these files - he must have told the Hyenas about Douglas, but someone paid the Hyenas. Find out who did that and you'll find your murderer."

   "Why was killing Douglas so important?" I gave him a look, like he was dense, he glared back. "I won't accept that he was murdered just because he was my friend!"

   "Half because of that, half because he was important," I patted his shoulder, "It's not your fault. This is a cause I think a lot of people are... not quite willing, but ready, prepared to fight for, to die for."

   He managed a pained smile and caught my fingers, brushing his lips over them, "You are a great friend, Evelyn. I hope you do not get hurt because of me."

   "If I get hurt it's probably going to be because of something I did, trust me," I joked dryly, leaning back onto the desk. "Now. I think it's safe to say someone in Las Vegas is behind this. Are there any people you know who oppose your plan?"

   "There are some who dislike it, but not enough to murder or cause this much trouble," I pursed my lips, ready to volunteer my services, "No. You said you would find out the people behind Douglas's murder; you have done just that. As this is a case which involves my court I'm afraid I must take over. Thank you, Evelyn."

   There was no changing his mind, and whilst I should have been relieved I was also troubled.

   "Now, care to explain why you're car was found in pieces and why you are travelling with a Fairy lord?"

   "Uh, like I said long story - and it's my problem, therefore I refuse to let you get involved," I grinned as I back away from him, his lips twisted with annoyance, "Ha."

   "Don't get hurt,"

   "I can't promise anything," I waved to him and left him to his musings. It wasn't a nice feeling, knowing that you're fortress, the fortress that had taken so long to build, had been breached. Bran was waiting for me when I left, and Margie looked extremely uncomfortable, relieved just to get rid of him.

   "Bye Margery," I called, grabbing Bran's wrist and dragging him away once again to the elevator.

   "Just can't keep your hands off me, can you?" I sighed impatiently and dropped his wrist, leaning on the farthest side of the elevator. This man had changed. One minute he had been glaring at me like I was the ugliest bug on the planet and the next he was being infuriatingly charming. At this rate hating him would be very difficult.

   "Did you learn what you needed?" Bran asked, sounded strangely courteous, I gave him a suspicious look. He was a fairy, he could have been the one to try and kill me...

   "Yes, thank you. What are you doing here, with me? Surely you have a council to go grumble with?"

   "I thought that, now you do not have Roman, I would protect you," if it was possible to choke on your own tongue without having any kind of fit then I had managed it.

   "You? You hate me!" I laughed,

   "Says who?" he stepped a little closer and I refused to back away, and I couldn't, anyway, since I was leaning on the wall already.

   "Since you keep using freaky magic on me!" I tried to snap but being in such close proximity seemed to have affected my vocal chords, it came out more as a breathless squeak. His hands went to either side of my head, boxing me in with his arms, I could only look up at his black glittering eyes, he was grinning slightly.

   My heart beat picked up just a little until it was racing painfully hard, I was sure he could hear it.

   "True, there is magic between us, but it's not mine," I could feel his breath on my lips, he tasted of cool mint and cedar.

   "W-whose magic is it, then?" I demanded, trying to drag my eyes from his lips up to his eyes. I felt the warm shooting of magic again and he must have felt it too because, whilst he didn't move his face closer, he stepped closer, until our bodies were almost touching.

   "It's ours. This magic is between us, and will be forever," more like the whisper of a touch his lips brushed over mine, up my cheek to my green eye, and then down, over my jaw.

   I wrapped my fingers into his shirt, all set for pushing him away, until his teeth touched the sensitive skin of my throat. He didn't bite or anything, but his lips had already sent me into a tiz, the added cold of his breath, his nearness and touch, made me weak at the knees. My mind was fuzzing over with the extra magic.

   It was unbearable, and yet wonderful, and he wasn't even touching me. It was like he was scared to touch me, there was nothing teasing about it. I was scared as well, maybe not for the same reasons, all I knew was I did not know this fairy and I was scared of my reaction towards him.

    My hands went to his hard as stone stomach, ready to push him away but never quite mustering the strength.

   His lips brushed over my neck again, with a bit more pressure, a whine escaped my lips, he pulled away, I followed his lips like he were a magnet. So close to those lips!

   And then the doors pinged open. We leapt apart like guilty school children, or rather, I tried to and he just wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping a possessive hand on my hip. Three employees looked between us with raised eyebrows and amused looks.

   Oh dear god, was it that obvious what we had just been doing? Or close to be doing. Blushing red as a beetroot I strode out of the elevator, Bran dragging along behind me, he lifted his hat to almost everyone we passed in the foyer, grinning for all like the cat that got the cream.

   Outside I slapped his hand away, perturbed when I felt a horrible pang of loss, "What is this 'magic'?"
 
   "You aren't ready to know yet," Bran responded and I narrowed my eyes,

   "Try me," I snapped challengingly and he scratched his chin.

   "Hows about over a drink?" He pointed to the Starbucks down the street. I didn't respond and he turned his back to me, I didn't like that. In fact, I very much hated the idea of him walking away, I leapt to his side with a pained yelp and walked with him.

   Get a hold of yourself, Evie! I commanded, taking deep breaths.

   "Why? Are you hoping a public setting will stop me from overreacting?" he wrapped his fingers around my wrist as we walked, almost like he didn't realise he was doing it his fingers went down and looped through mine.

   "Exactly."

   "It's that bad?" I asked nervously, unconsciously tightening my hold on his hand. What the hell was wrong with me? One minute I'm vowing to hate the man the next I'm practically begging for him to give me a hickey and now I was walking hand in hand with him like I trusted him with my life.

   "It's that bad." Figures, this was me we were talking about.

 

9.
   "We are, how would you put it? Bound to each other," Bran started, looking me in the eyes as I slurped nervously from my strawberry and cream Frappuccino. We sat in the corner of the café, on the big leather seats. No one could overhear us if we spoke quietly, but if I started yelling we'd get a few stares

   "Bound... like master and slave?" he shook his head and I felt a moments relief,

   "It's a spiritual bond. My soul belongs to you, and only you, as yours belongs to me..." I got the general gist of what he was saying, it was only when he said: "We belong together" did I really understand him.

   "Like soul mates?" I slumped in my seat and took a steadying breath when he nodded. "Just like that? We didn't even speak!"

   An emotion flashed across his face before it disappeared, "I did not ask for this, if I could have I would have prevented it."

   Ouch, I felt like I'd just been stabbed through the heart, so now I wasn't good enough for him? He must have seen that on my face because he leant over and took my hand,

   "I would never have bound you too me without your permission, believe me," he tried to smile, "Its as much of a shock to me as it is to you. I have never been bound to anyone before... it is an odd feeling."

   I managed a humourless laugh, "Tell me about it." Cupid had an odd sense of humour that was for sure.

   "We can always try to find a way to reverse it, if you want?" he added, keeping his voice neutral.

   "But I don't want it!" I practically sobbed, clinging to his hand, the idea of losing him suddenly terrified me, it wasn't love but it was pretty close to. "Oh god, the very thought of-" I broke off, trying to breath. Unbearable; that was what it was.

   This whole thing was unbearable.

   Suddenly Bran had pulled on my arm, tugging me round the table to collapse on the leather seat beside him. I leant into him automatically as his arm wrapped around my shoulder. My face buried into his neck, breathing in his skin.

   "It's okay, we'll figure it out," his lips brushed against my forehead and I tried to stop the nervous giggles. How had this happened to me? First I hate him, then I get insanely jealous just at the thought of him being with someone else, then I have a panic attack when I consider leaving him!

   It was messed up. Someone high up really took a shining to me, not.

   After a while I had calmed down and I leant away from his neck, holding his free hand tightly, "Okay. Now we've got that out the way."

   "Don't move," he smiled a beautiful smile when I froze, "I just want to hold you a little longer."

   "I never even thought of moving, I just want to ask you something," he nodded, understanding from my tone that this was important.

   "The Council, you know about Asher's plan?" he nodded, "You don't approve."

   "I do not care, but the others... they think it will be like the old days all over again. No one wants that again,"

   He was talking about the Hunts. Because Asher's plan was to reveal the Supernatural community. One race at a time. The vampires were going to go first, let the humans settle down, and then the Weres would reveal themselves, and maybe, eventually, all the other species, like witches and warlocks, and others like me, Sensitives and Seers.

   The big party coming up was to commemorate the beginning of a new Era, because the next day Vampires, all across the globe, would be revealing themselves on national television. All because Asher had had enough of hiding in the dark.

   Douglas had been needed because he was a representative for the Sensitives, and his death meant that Asher's backing was weakened. For the past eight months I had been working with Asher to tone down all the violence that would no doubt upset the humans. We wanted to look good, not evil.

   "And if your council is weak, and your laws do not hold, then you will not be able to help if things get that bad," I guessed. I had been thinking about this when I should have been thinking about whether I wanted to be a full blood. It was the understanding that the Fairies would get in the way of Asher's plan that had made me decline their offer.

   "...Ye-es," he said a little hesitantly and leant back to look into his eyes. He was trying to make me understand something,

   "You can't tell me everything can you?" he nodded, "Okay, nod if I'm warm. The fairies don't want the Supers to come out, and if their magic doesn't function properly, will they do all in their power to stop this plan from going ahead?"

   He nodded and I pursed my lips... "Does someone in your council live in Las Vegas?"

   He nodded vigorously, "Is it Saibh?" again with the nodding. "Is she working with the Hyenas?" Nod, shake, "Okay... is she working with someone who hired the Hyenas?" Nod. "Are they vampires?" nod.

   "Vampires will do just about anything for Fairy blood," he said disgustedly. I pondered over this as he stroked my hair. Saibh. Who'd have thought? And I'd been beginning to like her.

   Then again, she was fierce, she had shown me that she was willing to do anything to protect the Fairies, even if it meant siding herself with vampires. And how cunning, to turn a vampire against another. And the use of the Hyenas meant linking it all back to her was nigh impossible.

   Saibh wanted to stop Asher's plan by causing such trouble they had to stop. Murders at this stage would mean really bad publicity.

    "Does anyone else know?" I demanded, sitting up, I doubted Saibh would be allowed to get away with any of this if the Council knew, but then again, who knew if they were as against the idea as Saibh.

   "I think they suspect but I cannot be sure. What gave it away?" Bran asked, "How did you figure it out?"

     "Because I'm insanely smart," I replied modestly before answering seriously, "The vampires in Las Vegas had control of a Troll,"

   "And even a troll would not answer to a vampire, only another, more powerful, fairy," he snorted. "Saibh likes to get things done scorched earth style, Éabha is much more cautious, which was why she approached you."

   "Humph," something about that didn't make sense, but I couldn't quite figure it out. "Won't you get in trouble for helping me, after all, Saibh outranks you, and I'm thinking she just tried to kill me."

   "Protect kin, that is our law, you may not be a full blood but you are mine, that means she cannot harm you and I'm not doing anything wrong," he reached over and grabbed my drink, offering it to me. As I slurped it down I didn't want to point out that they're council was broken, their laws didn't stick anymore.

   She could kill me anytime she wanted. Which sucked really, I got a feeling Saibh was a persistent little buggar.

 

 

 

10.
   Not long after I was standing in the hallway outside my apartment, cursing those Hyenas to hell. If it was messed up I was going to kill them! Except when I turned the corner the door was deceptively untouched. And their was a faint smell of paint and polisher. The door was unlocked and I pushed it open, shutting my eyes and dodging to the side.

   "I can't do it. You go in and tell me how bad it is," I pushed Bran in front of me and he went. I heard a whistle,

   "Bloody hell," my stomach dropped,

   "What? What is it?" I ran in, stumbling over the broken door. I skidded to a stop. There was nothing wrong with the place.

   Everything was exactly like I'd left it. And then I took a closer look. My Sea World Pillow was gone, replaced with a smooth black suede one, the worn couch replaced with a larger leather one. The once pure white walls were now a darker cream and the paint stains from the now polished and shining wooden flood had been removed.

   "What. The. Hell?" I breathed, after racing round the whole house. Everything was in tact, and anything that might have been broken had been replaced. I went down to my studio, and I was so relieved to see my painting in one piece I almost cried.

   "There's a note," Bran called, coming from the kitchen counter waving a white piece of paper, I read it quickly and grinned.

   "'We found you're Hyenas leaving your apartment - thought you might want to know we've got a Familiar with them, a traitor probably, we'll hold them until you tell us what to do. In the meantime, we've fixed your apartment up as best as we could - you really need to find a nicer place to stay, Evie, that TV's so small I bet you need a pair of Binos to watch it. Hope you're safe, Richard.'"

   I felt a rush of affection for the lion, then realised he must have been holding those Hyenas for a while.

   "Who's Richard? Another admirer?" I grinned at Bran's neutral voice,

   "Nah, just a friend, trust me," I kissed his cheek and reluctantly pulled away, trying to fight the lure of magic. Bran helped by stepping back. Coming back here in the taxi we'd barely let each other go, we hadn't kissed but it had been like no power on earth could separate our hands, and in that forty minutes I'd revealed more about myself to him than I had to Asher in eight months.

   Bran was an awesome listener. And he was my soul mate (queue harps and choir) there was nothing I could hide from him. Nothing I wanted to.

   "I better ring him," deciding that I could go over to the Hyenas, read their minds and try and figure out who their employer was. It was crucial to learn who the vampire was before they came to the party. I just hoped that I could learn more than I did with Jasmine. Then again, there was always Jim.

   Just as I reached for the phone it trilled and I leapt back, creepy. I picked it up, thinking it might be Richard or one of his lions,

   "Hello?" There was the sound of heavy breathing, my heart skipped a beat,

   "Ph-phoebe? Pheebs!" a young girl sobbed and I almost dropped the phone,

   "Alice!" how the hell had she gotten my number? More importantly, why was she crying? Surely she wasn't just happy to hear me? "What's wrong, Al? Honey tell me what's wrong!"

   She didn't hesitate, it all poured out and I tried to understand what she was saying but she was sobbing too much, "Alice, Alice listen to me, take some deep breaths, think, and tell me what happened."

   Bran was at my back, he'd taken off his hat and was leaning over my shoulder trying to listen in, once upon a time that would have pissed me off and I'd tell him to mind his own damn business but I was too distracted by the phone call.

   "I-Its mummy, she had an accident, she's, she's dead!" she wailed out the last word and I felt my head spin, my stomach dropped and I felt sick. One minute I was on my feet the next I was sitting on the floor, shaking and breathing heavily, Bran cradling me in his arms.

   "Oh. Oh." Alice's sobs reminded me that she had rung me for a reason, "Al, Alice sweetie where are you?"

   "I'm at home! We went, went to the hospital and she died and then Daddy disappeared! Jonno's freaking out and I didn't know who else to call because he's going to set something on fire and Del isn't helping!" she wailed some more and I clutched the phone tightly, my heart hurting in response to her pain.

   "Okay, Al, sweetheart, I'm going to be right there, okay?"

   "How long?" she hiccupped, "I miss you, I miss mummy!"

   I looked at Bran, he nodded at the silent question on my face, "I can get you there almost immediately," he murmured, and I reassured Alice with a croaky voice that I would be with her in ten minutes.

   Then I hung up and stared at the phone, lost. Until Bran nudged me, "Evelyn you have to go. Come,"

   "Wait, need to ring Richard," I took a steadying breath, punched his number in with shaking fingers, and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

   "Evie! I was beginning to worry," I couldn't laugh, there was something wrong with my throat, "What do you want doing with these animals?"

   "M' sorry Richard, I can't come... can you get Asher to deal with it?" I motioned for Bran to pack me a bag of something and he disappeared up the steps to my bed room. "Asher knows about as much as I do, wait, no he doesn't, tell him that the vampires of Las Vegas were hired by a Fairy - he'll know what I'm talking about,"

   "Why can't you come down and read their minds?" He sounded a little put out, any other time I would have felt bad, but I was a little preoccupied.

   "I'm sorry, Richie," I took the bag from Bran, slinging it over my shoulder, then stuffed his cowboy hat on his head, trying to muster a smile for him. "Something's come up."

   "What's wrong, Evie?" he demanded, "Don't tell me you're doing another goddamn job for that blasted vampire because if you are you can forget me holding-"

   "My mum just died," that shut him up. I hung up before he could say anything else. I took Bran's hand and stepped into his warm embrace.

   "Are you ready?" I could feel his magic growing, whipping around us like a miniature tornado.

   "No," I replied, hiding my face in his shoulder, "But lets go anyway."

   I doubted I would ever be ready for this. I was going home. To a family that hated me.

 

 

11.
    I was expecting them to hate me, but I was hoping they'd greet me with open arms. But I was putting money on the former.

    I stumbled a bit as my feet reconnected with solid ground and looked around, blinking in the sudden bright sunlight. You'd think living in L.A I'd be used to the sun but I was still a Brit at heart, used to Summer days hiding under trees as storms raged over head.

   Nothing had changed, the house was the same modern house I had walked away from eight months ago. There were more cars this time, one I recognised to be my own impala, I had to resist running over to her and giving her a sloppy kiss, she was, after all, just a car...

   "This is your house?" Bran asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and subtly turning towards the house. It looked empty but I could hear the people inside. A few Werewolves, some tigers, Del, Alice and Jonno. Al was right, Calhoun had disappeared.

   "Was my house, I'm not exactly welcome anymore," I corrected him, hugging my arms around my body I hunched up and watched the door warily, like at any moment the house would suddenly come to life and eat me.

   "You want to go in?" he asked, and there was practically zero patience in his voice, and almost no sympathy. To be honest I preferred it, it made me focused, stopped me from completely breaking down then and there. I hit his chest,

   "You first, cowboy," I flashed him a tight smile, "That way when Jonno comes out he'll fry you first,"

   "Your family sounds charming," he murmured, I bit back a desperate noise as I felt the attention inside the house turn to us, the strangers bickering on the drive.

   "Ha, if I remember correctly they're ten times worse than me," I managed to choke out, his arm on my shoulders was really reassuring, and sensing my increasing tension his fingers stroked my arm.

   "That sounds like hell," he muttered, and then the door burst open.

   "Tell me about it," I muttered, Jonno stood in the doorway, an incensed, mad look contorted his face to something a little less human and a lot more... satanic. The hellish vibe only intensified when he stepped down, hands blazing, murder in his eyes, and on his mind.

   He was partly driven by his grief, but seventy seven point eight percent of his fiery rage was driven by his hate for me. Crap.

   "He... looks happy to see you," Bran said in a 'this is awkward' voice. He looked more than happy to see me, only because it meant he could kill me!

   "Jump!" I grabbed Bran's shirt and dived to the side, yanking him with me, just as a giant ball of fire struck the ground, spraying gravel and dirt up like shrapnel. Muttering, I got to my feet, taking Bran's offered hand as Jonno strode forward, a menacing look on his face, hands glowing and burning.

   "What a lovely welcome," Bran was slowly trying to pull me behind him, a primitive need to protect me, and whilst I appreciated the gesture I could take care of myself, and fight my own fights.

   "Trust me if he wanted to we'd have been roast a long time ago," I stepped up to Jonno, wary, "He's going easy on me."

   "Because I'm just getting started!" he growled and I could feel the heat rising from him as he stomped within five yards. I considered letting him get a few hits in but that just wasn't me. He pulled his hand back, ready to throw another ball of fire, so I hit him with my own magic.

   A blast of cold air, colder than a cold day at the North Pole, whipped around me, barely raising a shiver on my skin, but when it hit my twin it knocked him clear off his feet, killing his fire almost instantly.

   Sure, using my magic on him wasn't exactly the best way to make amends but I wasn't in the mood to fight. Mum had just died. It wasn't the time to fight!

   I realised that snow was beginning to dust the ground, the sky was clear above us but I'd created a miniature snow storm in the drive.

   "That was a bit vicious," Bran commented, I looked at him through the white blizzard surrounding me, snorted, and then killed the magic. Strangely enough none of the snow had even landed on me.

   "Someone had to snap him out of it, why not me?" he hated me already. I watched as Jonno got to his knees, snow melting on his skin as he looked around stunned, wondering how the hell I had managed to create a snow storm on a beach. Then he brushed it off and I saw his eyes darken once again, all set to flinging more fire at me, until a shrill voice cried for him to stop.

   We both snapped our attention to the door to see Del and Alice, one glaring at us, the other sobbing.

   "Grow up, Jonno!" Del shouted just as Alice leapt down the steps, sprinting past Jonno even as he tried to reach for her, and then she tackled me, sobbing my name. I swung her into my arms, tucking her head under my chin as she sobbed,

   "Shh, it's okay, I'm here Al," I whispered into her frizzy carrot red hair, I could barely make out any of the words she said so I just held her off the ground, needing her in my arms as much as she needed me. I looked over her shoulder to see Jonno giving me a terrifying death glare, whilst Del stood beside him, a restraining hand on his shoulder.

   Nothing about them had changed. Jonno looked a little taller, his butterscotch blonde hair was lighter in the sun and cropped shorter and spikier. He looked older; any trace of the little boy I used to have food fights with was gone.

   And Del, well Del had always looked older than she was. Flawless skin, rich mesmerising eyes and shining hair you only see on Shampoo ads.

   "Hi, Del," I managed to say, Alice's wiry arms cutting off my air supply.

   Jonno practically growled, "You don't get to come back here with a simple Hi!"

   "Give it a rest you moron!" Del whacked him over the back of the head before closing the distance and somehow hugging me around Alice, "It's so good to... I missed you,"

   I choked up, hearing the barely contained sobs in her own voice and tried to hug her back. This was not, at all, how I had expected it to go, well, other than Jonno's reaction.

   And then Del dragged Alice off me and whacked me over the head too.

   "Where'd you go, twerp?" she demanded, and suddenly she was angry, as Alice, with her blotchy face and red eyes, nodded her own encouragement.

   There we go, this was more like it. I braced myself for the torrent of abuse bound to pour out her mouth, "We know you do a lot of crazy things - I mean you're the girl who got out the car at Woburn Safari! But this, by far, tops the list! You left! For months, just gone! And you didn't even call!"

   I winced and looked at the floor, "I did, once, but-"

   She wasn't even listening, lost in her own rant as she paced on the snow slicked drive, "And now you turn up out of the blue and you're making snowstorms - in California for Christ's sake! And you brought a stripper too! Where the hell have you been?"

   I looked over my shoulder at Bran, in his dark tight shirt and jeans, the cowboy hat and the general hunky vibe he gave off I had to admit he definitely looked a little like a stripper. Or an extra from 'Wild Wild West'. Bran looked at me bemused, and seeing the agreement on my face his expression turned hurt, I had to defend him.

   "He's not a stripper, Bran's a fairy with odd taste," I shrugged, ignoring Bran's grunt of annoyance, muttering about me making him sound gay, "And I did call, but Jonno said explicitly that none of you wanted to see me again and that if I dared dirty your doorstep he would kill me and then bring me back so he could kill me again."

   In the background I could see Jonno waving his hands, drawing a line under his neck, telling me to stop, but it was too late. Del stiffened; I took a step away from the look that transformed her face. She turned slowly to Jonno.

   "You did what?" I knew that voice. That was her 'you'd better run and hope I don't catch you' voice. Scarier than a group of blood thirsty vampires.

   "It was eight months ago, I was angry!" Jonno said defensively as he tried to back away, careful not to make any sudden movement. "And don't you say you didn't feel the same way!"

   "Eight months. It has been eight months. All because of you, you stupid, arrogant, dumb, moronic son of a b***h! How dare you speak for all of us! How dare you!" I really thought she was going to hit him.

   "She's back now though, isn't she!" he put his hands up, trying to make her back off. His words did the trick. Del stopped in her tracks and she took a shuddering breath,

   "She wouldn't have come back if mum wasn't dead," I wasn't the only one who felt those words. They pierced my heart like an ice cold dagger, and then someone grabbed the hilt and jiggled it about, just in case it didn't hurt the first time. I watched as Del stalked back into the house, Alice hesitated before trotting after her. Jonno clenched his fists, looking anywhere but me.

   "Come on Phoebe!" Alice called from the door and I hesitated and motioned for them to give me a second. I looked at Jonno,

   "What happened? How did mum..." I broke off with a shuddering breath. I didn't know quite how to go about this, I mean, did we have to plan a funeral or something? Or do we mooch around mourning first?

   "She had a car crash last night, the brakes weren't working," he grit out, I caught a stray thought before he blocked me from his mind. 'It wasn't an accident - the brakes were cut'.

   For some reason it didn't shock me as much as it should have, maybe I was expecting it, to be honest it certainly cleared up a few things.

   I just needed a little more time for my head to get in gear before it all made sense, after all I was still reeling from the days events. First the Hyenas, then the Fairies, then the blown up car and then the phone call from a sister I haven't heard from in months.

   Seeing them had gotten me over my initial shock. Mum was dead. And now the pain and grief was settling in. All the things I'd never said to her, what were the last things I'd said to her? We hadn't spoken, she'd slapped me.

   I stepped into the house and looked around. Nothing had changed. I'd hardly expected it to, but nothing was going the way I had expected.

   "Guys, you all remember Phoebe," Del's mini introduction was hardly necessary, they'd all been watching the scuffle through the windows like it was some interesting television sitcom.

   My eyes scanned over the reasonably familiar faces. I noticed the tigers first, only because they were the ones Del headed for. In fact, she went straight up to Milo and let him wrap an arm around her shoulder and kiss her cheek. Well that was... something.

   And to think a couple of months ago I had asked her to flirt with him and she'd given the impression she hated him. Now they were all loved up. I nodded politely to the tigers, Milo and his father, Jackson, to my surprise Rowan the tiger was there too, and I realised that Rowan Milo's closest cousin.

   And then, reluctantly, I turned to the wolves. Tessa, the short brown haired werewolf was leaning on the arm of a huge black man, Asil the Alpha of Blacke Pack. I wasn't sure how he felt about me but things were definitely tense, judging from the grim look he gave me.

   And then, because I couldn't avoid him for much longer, I looked at Tobias. He hadn't changed either, a part of me was relieved whilst another part of my hurt, because he was still ruggedly handsome, the same guy I had sort of come to adore in a brief four days. He was leant on the window seat, wearing a grey t shirt and worn jeans, his Mohawk looked recently trimmed and he studied me with a horribly distant look.

   "We all know each other," I said, breaking the tension. Del looked between Tobias and me, I could feel the questions buzzing from her mind. I glanced out the window, there was no sign of Jonno, but I knew he was out back.

   Alice tugged on my hand and I let her take me to the couch, Calhoun's favourite. I sat on the edge of it until Alice frowned, pushed me back and sat on my lap, a completely uncharacteristic gesture if ever I'd seen one. Then I remembered, she usually left the touchy feely crap to Mum.

   Mum was gone. Jonno was a tough as nails 'professional' surfer and Del was absorbed with her Weretiger boyfriend. And Calhoun was gone.
 
   "You've been gone a while, Phoebe," Milo stated pushing Del into a chair and standing behind her. She wanted to stop him from talking but she was just as curious, where had I been? Who was my friend? What are you doing?

   This could get awkward. Since Jackson and Asil were Alphas that meant they'd been involved with a few of the talks in Los Angeles, and since it was my job to be there and oversee the meetings they had seen me.

   "Where were you?" Alice asked quietly, turning to look at me. I hesitated, no one would like the fact that I had been working for the vampires. Time they got used to it though, the whole reason for the talks was so that we lived in harmony with humans, and to do that the supernaturals had to get along with one another first.

   "In Los Angeles, working with Asher," I sensed the tension thicken in the room, like a tangible force. I shut my eyes and leant back.
  
   "Wait, who's Asher?" Del asked, unlike the Weres she wasn't completely clued in.

   "Asher is the Master Vampire of L.A, hell, most of California is under his control," Milo snorted with disgust and gave me a reassessing look. "I thought you hated vampires."

   "Only the ones who try and eat me," I snapped back, then rubbed my face. Deep breaths, you didn't come here to fight. Then again, the real reason I came here was too painful to remember. "The night I left I was intending to hand myself over to Old Anglo Coven - stupid I know, but it seemed smart at the time. Asher appeared instead, he showed an interest in me, he needed someone with of my talent. So he offered me a job and I accepted."

   "Let me get this straight, you've been working for a vampire for the past, what? Eight months? A vampire, of all things!" Del had started in a low angry voice and at the end she was on her feet despite Milo's restraining hand and shrieking at me.

   No, too loud, my poor head. I felt a migraine coming along.

   "Hey! I've been working with Weres too!" I argued defensively, I couldn't help casting a hopeless look at Bran, who had somehow, for all his size and striking looks, blended into the background, unnoticed.

   "What types of jobs?" Alice asked, patting my arm, trying to drag my eyes down to her, she still loved attention but she could also sense the tension in the room and she wanted to break it.

   As much as I loved her I just wanted to sit quietly, relax, and not move. My head hurt.

   "Lots of types, most of the time I was finding people and protecting them, other times I was just trying to find liars," I tried to smile for her, "I went all over the place - New York, Washington D.C, hey I even went to Florida."

   Of course it wasn't all fun and games, I had the scars to prove it.

   "So you're acting as a sort of... bounty hunter?" Del breathed heavily as I shrugged, glancing between Jackson and Asil, obviously they hadn't told anyone about the last meeting we all attended.

   Unfortunately Tobias and Tessa were sharp enough to notice the look and snapped to attention.

   Until Jonno's voice distracted us, "You've been working for the vampires? After all they've done? They almost killed you! They've killed around you! And now you're working for them?"

   I felt a stirring of anger. It was because of these feelings that Asher's plan could all go south, "You've got to see the bigger picture."

   "Bigger picture? They're murderers! What more is there to see?" he demanded and I moved swiftly, I stood up, plonking Alice on the seat in my place.

   "That things are changing! At some point you're going to realise that nothing is the way it used to be," I'd never had to argue in Asher's defence, usually I argued to protect myself, but I'd thought about arguing for Asher, but being a bloke he'd never stand for a girl defending him.

   "What do you mean?" Del sounded unsettled, even the Weres were listening closely, I glanced again at Jackson and Asil, they weren't stopping me. I wondered how much they had told their packs, surely they had mentioned something.

   "I mean we have to put aside our petty squabbles because come next Thursday nothing is going to be the same," there was a short silence, I looked at Bran, he half shrugged. It was my choice, tell them now, or wait for the panic coming in ten days time.

   "Pheebs what are you saying?" Jonno edged further into the room and I huffed, why had I come home? Oh yeah, forget I asked.

   "I mean it's time for us to stop hiding in the shadows," there, I'd said it. The effect was pretty instantaneous, I learnt pretty quickly that no, Jackson and Asil had opted not to tell their fellow Weres.

   "What do you mean? The vampires are revealing themselves to the world?" Milo laughed, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, until he looked at his father's solemn face. "Everyone is?"

  "The vampires opted to go first, and then the Weres, we hope to be followed by the Fae," Jackson pushed out through stiff lips and I glanced at Bran, he shook his head minutely: the fairies had no intention of revealing themselves to the world. "We've been working for this a long time, together. You saw it, with Cornelia Skye's murder a while back? Her friends were turned not too long after, together the tigers and the wolves could not find their nest, but Asher sent vampires over to aid us. That was the first sign that things were changing, that we could work together."

   I had begged Asher himself to send those vampires over, when I had heard that Emily, Amber and Candice, and then Mindy, had turned up as some of the undead and gone on a killing spree. I'd persuaded Asher that it was the start of his dream. And well, I'd been right.

   "They can't! it'll be the Hunts all over again!" Tessa yelled in an impossibly loud voice for someone of her size, my head complained at the volume of it.

   "No, it won't," I was quick to interrupt, through my pain it was imperative that they understood. Eyes turned to me, "People are more willing to accept that something else exists. People are ready for us-"

   "Just because vampires were made popular by Twilight obsessed crazy teenage girls does not mean the general population of the world is ready for us!" Tobias snapped and I turned my eyes on him, my spine straightening,

   "The world is ready. We can't hide in the shadows anymore, it's not... right. Imagine how much easier life will be when we don't have to worry about what we do, or what we are!"

   "It sounds good but it won't happen!" He growled, pushing off from his perch he started towards me, I held my ground,

   "Trust me, it will," I grit out firmly, my headache was growing.

   "And how exactly do you know?" He snapped and I almost flinched, when had he gotten so cold? Maybe it was just me.

   "Because I've Seen it," now it was his turn to flinch back. "I'm not a Seer, but I've met one. She showed me what she Saw, and no, it wasn't paradise, but it was better. It was good for us. Jackson and Asil were there,"

   "Where? In the vision?" Del asked dumbly and I shook my head, trying not to get impatient, Asil's rumbling loud voice cut through.

   "At that meeting, one of the first of many. It was... interesting, to say the least," he laughed but I didn't. I hated that meeting; I tried so hard not to remember it. "It was the first time we saw Evelyn, no Phoebe. We had all been arguing for a long time over the dangers of revealing ourselves, it was preposterous that Asher had even suggested it.

   And then, after watching us argue for a while Asher just snapped his fingers, called for the Seer and in came a timid looking old woman. The woman was a mute, but Phoebe was there to translate. And really, what she described was... it sounded like a dream. Impossible, unreachable."

   "Prophecies don't always come true," Tobias interrupted; I felt a stab of dizziness and leant surreptitiously on a chair. What the hell was wrong with me?

   "This woman is a Cassandra. Her premonitions always come true," Jackson cut in. I tried nodding in agreement when he looked at me, but I could barely manage to lift my head. No one seemed to notice though.

   "What happened? You just believed what Phoebe said?" I managed to look up, indignant, but I had to focus before I could figure out which Tobias was the real one. I blinked and looked away, hopefully before anyone could realise I seemed to have a bit of a mental breakdown.

   "Yes. She had no reason to lie, neither did the Seer... and what followed next might have convinced a few... doubtful people," I knew what Asil was talking about. I felt sick just thinking about it. No one seemed to want to ask what happened although I could hear them all waiting.

   "What happened?" I shut my eyes as Alice asked the question. Flashes of images crossed my mind, a flash of a dagger, blood, a face twisted into a savage snarl, hopeless pleading eyes. Resignation. My stomach twisted.

   "Alice can you get me a drink and some paracetemol?" she huffed but went to do as I asked. I waited until she was out of earshot, "That same meeting the Cassandra...showed me that she was going to die, how she was going to die. She said that someone in that room would kill her. As soon as she stepped out the room."

   "Well if you knew that you could have prevented it," Del interrupted. I shut my eyes and smiled bitterly,

   "You would have thought that. All we did was change what happened; the result was still the same. Someone got angry, we tried to protect her, a few hits here, and few stabs there and then we were all down and they got her. Exactly how she predicted," I could feel the place where a blade had stabbed my stomach. I could see the people who had fallen in our vain attempt to at least get the lovely old woman to her car, I could see her dying, whilst I was healing.

   "How does that make you believe her?" Tobias said and for a small moment my anger broke through my nausea. He was being such an a*s!

   "Oh give it a rest! It's happening! You can complain, you can whine, but it's happening," there was a stunned silence, I sensed someone at the door and sighed, "Al come on in, I know you're there."

   "Sorry," she muttered, coming in with a glass of water and two white pills in her hand. I took them both and downed them. Man, another half hour for them to kick in. I didn't think I could last that long.

   "Are you alright?" I barely even noticed Bran until he whispered in my ear. I turned and leant into him, groaning, "I'll take that as a no."

   I nodded weakly. Jonno looked between us, then his manners kicked in, "We didn't get a chance to meet, I'm Jonno, Phoebe's brother," he held his hand out for Bran to take, which after a moment's hesitation he did.

   "Bran," he replied shortly, arm tightening around my waist. I took it as a sign that he didn't like my brother.

   "And how do you know Phoebe? Do you work with her?" I almost smiled at the old hint of protectiveness in his voice. Then he ruined it by asking with disgust and hate, "Are you a vampire?" He had obviously interpreted my 'He's a fairy with odd taste' comment for 'He's gay'.

   Bran answered by lifting his hat up and off, revealing the true extent of his beauty - and his pointy ears. "I am one of the Lords of the Council of the Sky. I used to work with your father."

   There was a general air of puzzlement so I explained everything, from when I had been taken to the Council, through Éabha's story, her offer, and then Saibh's betrayal. They listened, absorbed, slightly disbelieving, until Bran told them it was true.

   And Jonno picked up on the one thing I had hoped he wouldn't. "They blew up your car? Were they that angry that you said no?"

   I could see where he was going with this and suddenly my headache didn't matter. I turned and glared at him, almost shaking with my anger and indescribable grief, "Do not blame me. Don't you dare blame me for this! I have enough blood on my hands Jonathon Marcus Sullivan without you putting this on me!"

   "Phoebe?" Alice whimpered nervously, I hadn't realised that the temperature had dropped a few notches, and I let out a deep breath, the air became less harsh and the warmth seeped back in.

   "You do not get to blame mum's death on me," I told my brother in a low voice, he flinched but didn't look away, his thoughts unashamedly saying that I had pissed off the Fairies and they had gotten revenge. "Do you want to know what made me decline the fairies' offer? They said I had no ties to my family, making me the perfect candidate for Calhoun's seat, and yet they themselves had heard me say that you would always be my family.

   Abjure or not. That was tie enough, wasn't it? So you now what I realised? They didn't care if they had me, or hey, even you, or Del, or even Alice! So long as they had a D�™mhnallach because then Calhoun would belong to them.

   Protect kin, that's the law, with me on the seat Calhoun would have no choice but to answer to his council, because even through an Abjure we shared blood, and that made us kin. They had never wanted me, they just wanted Calhoun.

   So you think, Jonathon Marcus. When trying to recruit me failed what other tactic would they use?" I glared at him, until he looked away. I glared at all of them, they had all been thinking, at some point or other, that I was the reason behind mum's death.

   But they were wrong. The fairies had killed mum to try and make Calhoun join them, thinking that without a human Calhoun would come running. They had underestimated his love for her.

   "At the car," Milo began slowly, as if not trying to start WW3, "We smelt Weres not fairies," I jerked and looked up at Bran, his black eyes met mine grimly, he nodded at the question in my eyes.

   "Saibh employs vampires, who then employ Weres to do their dirty work and to avoid detection. Saibh is probably counting on Calhoun to figure out that Weres k... killed mum, and he would be so angry he would join the Council," I slumped back into Bran's arms and tried to put a lid on my turmoil of emotions. I needed a clear head for this, something was coming and I needed to be ready to prevent it, or try to.

   Kind of hard to focus with a banging head ache though, come on, drugs! Work already!

   "Why would the Fairies go to such lengths just to get dad?" Del squeaked, Bran saved me the trouble of answering. In a slightly faltering voice he said:

   "We, the fairies are afraid. We do not like change, especially when we are at our weakest, and we remember the Hunts. They were black years, but people came to us for help and we were able to, only because we were at our full power. If the hunts happen again we will have no power to stop them.

   Saibh refuses to believe that the vampires' plan will work, and will do anything to stop it, or just to get the fairies back to their former glory," I'd never heard Bran say so much.

   I smiled at him appreciatively and he plopped the hat on my head in a casual gesture that still managed to be tender. I didn't miss the look Tobias gave us. In fact several people were pretty interested in why Bran kept his arms securely around my waist.

   If only they knew that he was just trying to keep me upright. Maybe I had reacted badly to Bran's teleportation trick. As they all went to chatting about how to find Calhoun my phone vibrated and I excused myself, dragging Bran with me I went out the front door and slumped on the steps,

   "Evelyn," Asher jumped right in, "I visited Richard, I got the answers from Jim - he's been working for Zara's Turner, Paris, in Las Vegas, I have yet to talk to the vampire but he is coming to the Ball next week - I am worried he is planning something."

   "Well... I'm not needed here I can come back and snoop around if you want?" I tried not to sound too hopeful; being at home was beyond stressful. Cold, I know, but they really didn't want me around.

   The pressure in my head built up and I had to focus hard to hear what Asher said, "No, I only rang to tell you that a group of vampires have been seen near Lupa Beach-"

   But I wasn't listening, beside me Bran had tensed and was glaring out over the drive. I stood up slowly, keeping a wary eye on the approaching figures, "Yeah, they're here. I'll speak to you later Asher."

   There were ten of them. They looked like a bunch of fancy dressed idiots, with their rich coloured velvet jackets and swishing skirts. It was as if they'd stepped out of some sort of Renaissance painting. They stopped fifteen feet away and stood in a line, waiting.

   "'I'm sorry, the auditions for My Fair Lady aren't until next week," I called and I saw a snarl transform a few of their faces whilst the man in middle sneered. He was, unfortunately handsome, with thick brown curls, a smart crisp black jacket hugging a lean body and regal features.

   He stepped forward and flourished his arms out eccentrically, "My dear Fairy, you should be careful who you anger - you're blood sings to us and we are very, very hungry."

   "Thanks for the warning," I drawled sarcastically, suddenly my headache didn't seem so bad, but it would be back. The Weres in the house were alert, and debating whether to come out or not.

   The man stepped forward, coming alone and after a second's hesitation I followed suit, coming down the steps. "We don't want any trouble," he said as he walked, his vampires stayed put, probably because they knew they could reach me in a split second and there was no point moving.

   "Oh? So you'll leave?" I asked cheerfully, but inside I was nervous as hell. This close to peeing my pants. I'd done a lot of things but facing down Vampires with only a little knife had never happened before.

   "No, we just won't kill your family," there was a sudden banging and crashing, I made the mistake of looking over my shoulder as people, namely Del and Alice, screamed, followed by roars and more crashes.

   I looked back at the vampires, there were only five in the line, the man was grinning. I turned slightly so I could keep an eye on him and on the house. It was silent.

   And then SMASH! I jumped as two huge furry bodies flew through the front window, shattered glass rained down as the two wolves collided with the ground, and then lay limp on the floor. I tried to reassure myself that they were breathing, they would heal. But it was Tobias and Asil! Two of the strongest werewolves I knew! How could a single vampire defeat two wolves? And from the noises inside - or lack of - I knew all the others had been defeated too.

   A few seconds later the vampires came out, through the windows I noticed, not the front door, the five vampires dragged bodies with them, and when they walked on the gravel back to their leader they tossed them to the floor like rag dolls.

   Rowan was changed and was now an unconscious harmless tiger, Jackson was beaten pretty bad, blood running over his orange coat and grunting pathetically as he hit the floor. Milo was in human form, and bleeding from some horrible wounds in his chest as Del, alive and only bruised, desperately cried for him to be alright.

   Tessa was tossed down beside her wolf mate, and she was still in human form, looking fragile and small. From her mind I gathered she had stayed human to defend Alice. And Alice was now bleating for Del, for Jonno, for me, for Calhoun, as the slim blonde sneered and dropped her on the floor stating with a hiss how much she hated children.

   Jonno... I had half expected him to be flinging fire around but from a large gash on his forehead I could tell he was out for the count. I looked desperately for Bran and tried not to scream in horror and pain.

   He was on the floor, pinned down by a tall raven haired stunner who straddled him and stuck her horribly long claws through his shoulders. Like I said, he was pinned.

   I looked back at the vampire, fuming, terrified, refusing to believe that we had been beaten, reeling from how fast we had been beaten.

   "Surprised? We were too, who knew that fairy blood would have such amazing results. We're quicker, stronger and smarter," he tapped the side of his head, "Been having headaches? Our compulsion trebled in power too, maybe more."

   Compulsion on normal levels left me dizzy, no wonder I felt like I had been hit repeatedly over the head with a sledgehammer.

   "Now, if you come with us no one will get hurt... anymore than they already are," he grinned, revealing a full set of sharp fangs. My hesitation seemed to be an invitation for them to hurt my family, the blonde headed for Alice but I hit her with a blast of frigid air, knocking her off her feet and trapping her in a whirling blizzard before she landed with a crunch on the bonnet of a car.

   There was a snarl and I braced myself for the vampire that leapt at me. Stepping slightly to the side I let it connect with my shoulder before I grabbed it's jacket and dumped the vampire on to the floor. In a movement so fast it scared me I had unsheathed my knife and brought it swiftly across the vamps pale neck.

   There was another inhuman scream and I darted away from the body, spinning my arm came out, connecting with another's throat before he could even head for Alice. He choked and I brought the dagger up, stabbing him in the back. As he fell backwards I danced away again, so that I stood between the vampires and my recovering friends.

   However there were still three vampires standing guard over the unconscious bodies and with barely any thought or guidance my magic whipped out, the icy gusts of air sending them tumbling through the air to be lost somewhere in the shrubbery some twenty feet away. And down a small hill.

   The man had stayed absolutely still whilst I slew two of his vampires, now four were recovering, one was trying to keep Bran incapacitated and the other two stood like bodyguards at his shoulder. He looked only a little troubled, I sneered,

   "All that fairy blood and I wee little girl like me can kill you with something that barely passes for a knife," I shook my head, "You need to get your money back."

   "What do you mean? Don't count your chickens too soon," he grinned and snapped his fingers. I heard a grunt from Bran and made the tactical error of looking at him.

   He was grasping the woman's wrists, trying to stop her from pushing her nails in deeper, whilst her snapping teeth were aiming for his neck. I swore, then there was a flash of moment,

   I spun as one of the larger body guards tried to streak past, aiming for Del. My foot connected with his head and he fell back, only stunned. I turned again as the smaller of the two shot towards Alice. I flung my knife and watched with morbid satisfaction as it embedded itself in her between her shoulder blades.

   A vampire's death was always fascinating. They just sort of crumpled in on themselves then 'exploded' in a pillar of black flames.

   Too bad I'd gotten rid of my blade because suddenly the other five vampires were in front of me. The man was in my face before I could blink, all I caught was a smile, some blood red eyes, a waft of putrid death and then Wham.

   He hit me with all his compulsion. I blacked out.

 

12.

   Don't you hate being woken from a dream? One minute you're about to be kissed by a hunky sailor, suspiciously resembling a certain blue haired fairy, and the next you're being prodded and poked, bringing you back to reality. It was ruddy annoying.

 

   Suddenly, like I'd been douse in acid, I felt a horrible pain, so sharp and agonising there was no ignoring it. It was like someone was sticking needles into every possible nerve in my body. I flinched, my eyes blinking open,

  

   "Bloody hell!" I swore, wanting to sit up but knowing that that was pretty much impossible since moving would mean angering those pesky needles.

 

   "Oh, she is waking up," a sickly sweet voice cooed somewhere over head and I blinked groggily. The room span, objects and walls merging together until I thought I was going to be sick. And then the nausea passed, and I was suddenly wishing I was back in lala land.

 

   By now the pristine white walls, strange techno medical equipments and scary looking gadgets were familiar to me. Quietly a beeping echoed my drumming heart and I took a few deep breaths, trying to repress my panic.

 

   When you wake up, wrists and ankles strapped to an uncomfortable hospital bed, wearing nothing but some odd greenish trousers and white unsupportive bra, you're kind of entitled to a little panic attack.

 

   But it was the tube stuck in my wrist slowly pumping blood into a bag that really freaked me out.

 

   It was the same every time I woke up. I'd wake up, groggy and disorientated, try and figure out where I was, then look down and see my blood and I'd panic, then they'd drug me and I'd be unconscious within seconds.

 

   There were no windows for me to see if it was day or night, and I was so disorientated I didn't know what day it was, my internal clock completely kaput.

 

   "Do not panic, little one," a man's voice said to my side and I turned my head to see Einstein looking down at me, a bloody great big needle in his hand! And he told me not to panic!

 

   "How long have I been down here?" I demanded, straining against the binds.

 

   "Hush up," the annoyingly high voice whispered in my ear, "If you panic he'll jab you and then you'll go right back of to the land of Zee."

 

   The person came into sight and I realised that the person talking looked to be about ten, with sweet white blonde curls framing angelic pale face. I'd seen that face a few times during my rare moments of lucidity.

 

   Vampire, I realised, from the empty mind and the blood red eyes. I glanced at the old man, human, a familiar. The vampire was Angelica Harp - corny or what? She was in charge of security at the Tooth and Claw, one of the casinos in Las Vegas, run by Mr Paris himself.

 

   Like Asher wouldn't know where to find me, I mentally scoffed, then sobered, if I was still here after what was undoubtedly a long time then that meant he hadn't known.

 

   And it was because the casino had an underground lab where the vampires took their VIPs and drained their blood, leaving just a little in their system to keep them alive and seeming just a little bit tipsy. Edward's mind told me that, and the fact that no one outside of Vegas knew.

 

   Asher wouldn't be coming.

 

   "Is this the last you want?" I asked calmly, looking at the Vampire. I didn't think I could take another day in the room watching my blood draining away for Vampire chow.

 

   "This is the last bag," she poked the slowly filling hanging bag and my stomach rolled, just a little. "Fairy blood is in such big demand, you see now that we've had a taste of it we just can't give it up."

 

   "Well then, you'd be better off savouring it, not gulping it all down in one go - fairies are hard to come by," I managed a tight, fake smile and she patted my hand, it was so odd, you wanted to trust her because she looked so young, but underneath all that 'innocence' was a cold blood killer who would have your eyeballs for dinner.

 

   "You're right. Edward, patch her up when you are done - do not let her go back to sleep; the master will see her now," she looked over me coldly before she was gone, the door clicking shut behind her before I knew she had even opened it.

 

   I turned and glared at the old man, "So, Edward Carter, you had better have a good reason for working with these blood suckers for forty years."

 

   He flinched and just went about labelling up some heavy sloppy bags of blood. I leant back in the bed and looked around, chewing my lip. Damn, damn and double damn.

 

   I thought back to what happened. Those Weres had been tossed around like they were mice and the vampires big bad Tom cats. If that was what happened when Vampires drank fairy juice then we were all screwed: they had been practically invincible.

 

   Except for my knife in their necks. I felt a stab of pride at that before it was replaced with worry. Was Bran alright? Last I'd seen he had uber b***h sticking her ludicrously long manicured nails through his shoulders.

 

   He should survive that, right? He was a fairy Lord, he'd be fine.

 

   The others though... Tobias and Asil had been out for the count, they all had been, apart from Del and Alice. Had the vampires kept their word and not harmed them?

 

   Edward turned back to me and I watched with morbid fascination as he pulled a mean looking needle from my arm and pressed a plaster over it. I wasn't all that squeamish of needles but damn, seeing that sucker being pulled out of your own flesh was... yuck.

 

   "There will be someone to escort you in a while," he said with an uncomfortable cough and suddenly I felt sorry for the guy. Reading minds could be such a curse. This guy had beaten liver cancer twice before, and now it was back: he was still waiting for the day the vampires saved him.

 

   "Right, thanks," I wavered, unsure, should I talk to him? I decided against it. This guy was resigned to his fate. I hated resignation. It was sad. Not pitiful, just sad.

 

   About five minutes later I was feeling a little better, lightheaded but okay. This healing thing was pretty nifty, I had to admit it was one of the perks of being a fairy, it balanced out the whole Vampires thirsting for my blood situation. Also the two cartons of apple juice Edward helped me drink helped a little.

 

   The door swung open revealing two of the vampires that had attacked Lupa, the brown haired man with the funky compulsion and the blonde haired cow who had hurt Alice.

 

   I scowled and the man laughed, "Oh she remembers us," the woman stalked in, wearing a dark burgundy corset that made her bust look ready to burst out, and she'd gotten rid of the flowing mass of skirts, replacing them for shiny leather trousers. She looked like the ultimate vampire w***e, and from Edward's mind I could see I was right, and that 'Honey' was one of the cruellest vampires in Paris's group.

 

    She leant over me and smiled, revealing her teeth, which, as I watched, grew into a full set of fangs.

 

   "She smells so good," she groaned and I tried not to flinch as she leant closer to my neck. I'd seen how much damage vampire teeth could do, hell I'd felt it, Logan had left the scars on the tender skin where neck met shoulder.

 

   "Control yourself, Honey, she is for him," Rodolfo warned, although his eyes glittered an ominous red as he stepped closer, looking over my body in a way that made me feel like breakfast, lunch, dinner and maybe even dessert. "How are you feeling, fairy?"

 

   "Untie me and I'll show you," I growled, this was beyond uncomfortable. The vampires just laughed and began untying my wrists. There was no point me fighting; I was in the centre of vampireville. They owned this town.

 

   "Are you going to give us trouble?" Rodolfo asked, he was second in command with the Las Vegas Coven, Paris's go to guy, it suddenly made me realise just how important I seemed to be to these vamps.

 

   "I'll try not to," I replied sweetly as I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, extremely aware that I was wearing some pretty horrible clothes, and I stunk of sweat and sleep, I must have been out a long time. Honey had the same idea,

 

   "She can't go to him looking like that, I will take her to hair and make up," my jaw practically hit the floor: I was not there to get all primped and preened for the damn Vampire, I was there to, hell, who knew what I was there for?

 

   Rodolfo walked around me as I stood stock still, he touched my hair, it had grown a little frizzy these past few months, the ends all split and horrible, what can I say? Haircuts weren't my top priority, and I usually cut my own fringe in the bathroom. They both stood in front of me and I was acutely aware that the only time I wore make up was... never, only on the eyes and lips. It wasn't like I was an ogre, I just didn't try that hard to look good, I never saw the point.

 

   "Take her then," Rodolfo said, finally stepping aside gesturing us to the door, "do your magic, Honey. And give her a bath"

 

   With a strong vice like grip on my arm the vampire led me out the room, my bare feet cold on the plastic as her own lethal looking black stilettos clacked sharply.

 

   "Don't worry, I will make you look as good as you smell- that is, how you smell after a bath" she reassured me in a snooty voice, "It'll take some work, you are so rough, but I will manage. Somehow."

 

   Who'd have thought? The Kidnappers giving the prisoner a makeover. Now that was five star treatment, all you had to do was give a few pints of blood.

 

 

 

 

 

13.

   "Do you want the emerald green or the royal blue?" I looked at the two tops Honey held in front of me, feeling just a little bit overwhelmed. We'd been in there for only half an hour, she'd already cut my hair, then it was the clothes and then the dreaded make up.

 

   And before this I'd been forced to have a scalding hot bath and practically suffocated on the overwhelming smells of oils and shampoos she used.

 

  There were no mirrors in the room, all I knew was that it was a dimly lit oval room with a huge rack of discarded clothes, a fancy make up table and a couch that looked so comfy I just wanted to curl up in it and fall asleep.

 

   "Do I have a choice?" I replied curiously, this vampire was crazy. She asked me what I wanted done to my hair and then completely ignored me, cut several inches off so that I had a short killer bob that was longer at the front with a sharp fringe that went right into my eyes and she'd cut out my braid!

 

   She'd already picked out some crazy leather trousers which had these slits down the sides, tied together with black and white ribbons. I got the idea that she was a leather type of girl.

 

   "No. Here, put the blue on one," repressing a sigh - I had a bruise over my head from where she hit me if I displayed the smallest sign of boredom - I took the shirt from her hand and put it on. To be honest I couldn't say it was my style.

 

   A plain silk corset hugged my stomach, making breathing practically impossible, whilst my shoulders and arms were covered in a slightly transparent blue material that grew darker towards my hands, a longer piece of fabric then looping over my middle finger.

 

   I did a spin for Honey and she shrugged, unimpressed, "I suppose there really is no cure for broad shoulders, on the other hand I did not think it would fit, you are so much curvier than all the other modern girls."

 

   "Thanks for that," I muttered sourly but she took me literally and waved my 'thanks' away.

 

   "I suppose I cannot always work miracles, but the make up and hair should help. Come," she commanded and pushed me into the chair. I spent another ten minutes sitting absolutely still, barely breathing, as she put the minimalist amount of foundation on my face, then worked loads on my eyes, drew lipstick over my lips and then brushed blusher over my cheeks.

 

   When she finally let me look I was a little taken aback. She'd taken smoky eyes to another level, although somehow it didn't look heavy. My normally pale skin was enhanced by the pink blush of my cheeks and the rose red of my lips that gave me a strangely yet sexy huge pout.

 

   "Well, she said as she gave me a pair of black leather pumps to put on, "I suppose I can work miracles. Now you are ready to meet Paris."

 

   I followed her out of the room, the leather pants not as uncomfortable as I'd been expecting. We went down a few lush dark corridors, no pictures or windows, and whilst Asher could somehow pull it off not to look like something from a horror movie this place made me think there were monsters in my own shadow.

 

   Then she opened the door at the end of one corridor and revealed one of your classic casinos. A savvy bar dominated one side with its Victorian themed décor whilst classic electronic orchestral music played in the speakers overhead.

 

    Normal humans, familiars, vamps and even Weres went from blackjack table to roulette to the craps slots all the while the men were distracted by scantily dressed women whilst the latter were distracted by eye catching male vampires.

 

   "This way. Paris plays poker in the Private section; he constantly worries about cheats," glancing over the casino once more I picked out several cheaters, but I said nothing and followed Honey round the edge of the casino.

 

   "How long have I been here?" I asked, hoping that she might answer me since Angelica had so easily dismissed my question.

 

   "Let me see, it has been five days since we attacked Lupa Beach," I almost stopped in my tracks, five days! I'd been giving blood for five friggin' days?

 

   Smothering a fair few cusses I followed the vampire, scowling in every direction. A lot could have happened in five days, for a start I'd missed Glee. And the Pigeon Man's birthday. Now that really irritated me. And the painting had been so close to completion.

 

   Honey showed me through to the exclusive area, guarded by two burly black suited vampires who watched with barely concealed hunger, so much hunger that I practically hugged onto Honey's arm. It wasn't that I liked her, I just trusted her more than the strangers.

 

   As we walked down a suave darkly lit plum painted hall I sent my mind out, curious as to who I might be meeting, scared as to who I might be up against. I counted four humans playing poker - three losing badly, two Werehyenas who were livid, and several human familiars acting as waiters. From the eerie dead silence at some points I could tell there were at least eight vampires.

  

   I was ashamed to admit that I was scared. I'd never been around vampires before without having at least one person to back me up, or to stand behind when the going got tough.

 

   We entered a large dark room, there was no music, only the tense silence of the players who sat around a large round table. No one watched, the familiars sat off in corners, ready to wait on the guests and their masters, the bar sat off to the side, a human familiar busily wiping glasses glanced at me, pity and curiosity flashed through his mind before he turned away, scared.

 

   These familiars were well trained, they knew not to interfere. That and the fact that their independence had been beaten out of them told me the Vegas Vampires ruled with an iron fist and were more sadistic than most.

 

   Of course I'd figured that out the first time I'd come to Las Vegas, I'd only asked if they'd seen someone and then, even though I was leaving, they thought it would teach me a lesson to set an ogre on me.

 

   No one paid any attention to us and Honey simply stood in front of the table, waiting patiently, so I copied her.

 

   I glanced at the faces, skimming over them, they were nothing interesting, the vampires hidden in corners looked like bored statues, but I knew if I stepped once out of line they would kill me before I could say 'Goldfish'. There were six of them, leaving two more vampires playing poker, along with the Hyenas and four humans.

 

   I knew immediately which one Paris was. He was just one of those people you looked at and knew was the most important person in the room. He had thin swept back white blonde hair, pale fine features and a slightly pointy nose. He wasn't handsome, like Bran, or Asher, or Rom, he was striking, but not handsome.

 

  Compared to all the others though he was magnificent. And I could understand why Rodolfo and Honey thought I should look good, all the nicest clothes and all the make up in the world you could never look good compared to him, but at least it was good to try.

 

   I scoured my mind, trying to remember anything I might have known about Paris. All I knew was that he and Asher didn't get on, and Paris was the second most powerful vampire in America. After Asher, hence the grudge.

 

   The four humans I learnt were competing casino owners; they had been invited for the weekly Poker game. They weren't happy because Paris was winning, as always, and the Hyenas had been brought in even though they weren't elite.

 

   "Evelyn, Evelyn, Evelyn," I jumped, startled, and looked at Paris, he was looking at his cards but everyone else turned to look at me. Honey nudged me forward, "you have caused quite a bit of trouble for me."

 

   "I could say the same thing," I retorted grimly, clenching my fists, thinking of Douglas, of the Hyenas... of mum? Had the Hyenas been responsible for Mum's death? Maybe, but the Weres would have stuck around when the vampires came to get me.

 

   No, the fairies, Saibh, had organised mum's murder, the vampires had nothing to do with it. Which meant that Saibh employed other Weres. Well, this just got better and better.

 

   Now Paris looked up at me, no smile, no emotion whatsoever on his face, those dead empty eyes were worse than anything I'd ever seen, but I didn't flinch and look away, I just grit my teeth and looked at his jaw, anywhere but the eyes.

 

   "Would you like to join us?" he finally said, after staring at me for a long time, I hadn't been expecting an invitation.

 

   "No thank you, I don't gamble," I was trying very, very hard to keep my heart under control, I knew all the vampires could hear it and I did not want to look like weak and pathetic prey.

 

   "Come, it's a friendly game," and now he grinned, except it was the scariest grin in the world, the look of a snake right before it snapped up the mouse.

 

   "There's no such thing as a friendly game," I retorted, I had put a leash on my fear, instead replacing it with the calm I felt when I fenced, or when I shoot. It was the calm I felt before I snapped. So not necessarily good.

 

   "Really?" a thoughtful look crossed his face before he waved a dismissive hand, "Let's take a break, gentlemen," as the four humans left the two hyenas circled me, one was a tall gangly fellow with scraggly brown hair and narrow features, his teeth yellow and unnaturally large. He looked more like a rat than a hyena.

 

   The other guy was balding, short and stocky, all compact bulging muscle, shoved into a suit that seemed two sizes too small.

 

   "This the girl that killed Jasmine?" Baldy asked, looking back at Paris as he jerked a thumb at me, "She don't look like much."

 

   "Looks can be deceiving," I snapped and the tall man chuckled. Even shorty smiled, right before he punched me in the stomach. I gasped for breath, choked on air and stumbled. It was painful; oh it was painful, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. I felt like my insides had just been crushed, I wouldn't be surprised if I had internal bleeding. Of course after a few seconds of the room spinning and black dots floating through my visions my stomach went numb and I knew I was healing.

 

   As I straightened up the tall one went to hit me, this time aiming for my face, but I had been expecting it. I dodged to the side, catching his wrist as it shot past I spun him round, twisting his arm behind his back and jerking up viciously. He roared as his shoulder popped but I wasn't done.

 

   I kicked the inner side of his knee, the sadistic part of me satisfied by the crack as his knee snapped out, again making him scream. And then before I let him go I punched him hard and quick in the back, aiming roughly for his kidneys, at the same time quickly stealing the pocket knife he kept in his back pocket.

 

   Then I let him go, slipping the pen knife into the tight fabric at the inside of my wrist. He dropped to the floor squealing like a pig as I waited for shorty to try something next. He just looked between me and his fallen comrade, and laughed.

 

   "Yep, looks are deceiving," he chuckled then kicked his fallen friend, "Gerrup, you're embarrassing me."

 

   The two Hyenas retreated to the bar, the tall one limping and wincing as he slowly healed. I looked back at Paris, calm. Lots and lots of calm was all that was keeping me from breaking out into a panic attack right there. I shouldn't have hurt the Hyena but it was instinct. If I wasn't going to run I was going to fight.

 

   Instinctive, not impulsive. But stupid all the same.

 

   "You know, you are an intriguing individual, Evelyn - or should I call you Phoebe?" Paris said, motioning for a vacant seat opposite him. When I hesitated Honey grabbed my shoulder in a painfully bruising grip and shoved me down. "I never considered you much of a threat when you first arrived. And then Asher's dream became more than a dream. All because of you,"

 

   He clicked his fingers and I watched as, like magic, a familiar appeared at his side, holding out a glass of what could only be blood. He swilled it around the glass and sniffed it, his eyes turning a bright scary red, he toasted me, "Cheers."

 

   And that was when I realised: he was drinking my blood. I almost gagged. He really was a sadistic b*****d.

 

   "Fairy blood is a rare delicacy, I have not tasted it since the Hunts, when we were allowed to hunt one another. A very long time ago," he actually sounded like he missed those days. "Your blood is just right, a mix of human and fairy - it's not as sweet, much nicer on the taste buds."

 

   Time to change the subject, I thought as my stomach rolled,

 

   "You sent Zara in to cause problems for Asher?" I didn't mean for it to sound like a question, I already knew the answer.

 

   "Yes. I knew that Asher's plan relied on the good behaviour of the Supernaturals, that means no violence, no murders, no nothing. Which is a shame really," he grinned and I caught a glimpse of those teeth, goose bumps went up my arms, raising the hair on the back of my neck.

 

   "When did you start working for Saibh?" I asked, and had the satisfaction of watching his fingers tighten on his glass, a grip strong enough to crack the glass. He put it down on the table and I watched as my own red blood seeped through the crack, dripping down onto the green cloth of the table.

 

   "After Zara was caught and killed I had to go back to the drawing board. Only if I did too much too soon it would be obvious. Saibh came to me, in return for stopping Asher she would make sure that I became the King of America, replacing Asher," he ran his finger over the blood, then sucked it up. I tried to bite back my sneer of disgust. "After that we did small things, random, unconnected events that would not necessarily stop Asher's plans, only slow them down. That Seer was one of many. Douglas Matthews was one of many."

 

   "Why did you suddenly come after me? Did Saibh give you her blood so you could get me?" she really is too angry for her own good. Paris just smiled,

 

   "She said you were the final piece, the last straw for Asher. You see he's more human than most vampires, he has feelings, he cares for people, he cares for you. Imagine how angry, how upset, he will be when he finds out you're 'dead'."

 

   "You're going to kill me?" I asked, that should have scared me, was it odd that I wasn't scared? I definitely had a loose screw. More loose than usual.

 

   "No, why would I do that? Your blood is valuable," he smiled again, licked his fingers just to prove a point. "And we need power for the upcoming ball."

 

   "My blood isn't even pure," I argued, thinking furiously, he couldn't go to the ball! With the fairy blood his vampires would be almost unbeatable; he'd destroy Asher, "It won't give you much power,"

 

   "Oh no, your blood just tastes nice, we have other resources for power," that statement chilled me to the bone. He wasn't talking about Saibh.

 

   "Where is Bran?" I demanded, standing up, my heart cold and heavy, Honey tried to push me back down into my seat but I spun, grabbed her arm and flung her away from me, watching as if through someone else's eyes as she crashed into a group of Familiars. My mind was in a whirl, they had Bran! Now the panic was coming, lots of panic, and anger, oh I was angry.

 

   "Woo! That girl's got style!" Shorty called from the bar, "Like the Hulk!"

 

   What confused me about the Hyenas was that they both knew I had the pen knife, and I got the distinct impression they were... rooting for me.

 

   "What makes you think we have 'Bran'?" Paris asked, leaning back in his chair he put his finger tips together making a steeple and watched me with barely concealed amusement.

 

   "Don't bullshit me! He was wounded, he was bleeding, like any vampire could resist that!" I shouted and struggled when two strong pairs of hands grabbed me, two hands had vice like grips on each arm and I couldn't move without my bones protesting.

 

   "We might have him," Paris shrugged nonchalantly.

 

   "I want to see him," I practically growled, finally realising that the more I struggled the worse the pain got, so I stopped, standing limply in two vampires' hold.

 

   "I don't think you're in the position to demand things," Honey narrowed her eyes as she stood behind her master, looking at me with barely concealed hate. I guess throwing her had lost me any sympathetic feelings she might have had for me.

 

   "There are a dozen people in your casino stealing money right from under your nose, I can find them, just let me see Bran," please let him be okay, please let him be okay.

 

   "What makes you think I can't find them without your help?" Paris laughed, "We may not be telepathic but we have our ways."

 

   "Half of them are employees," I stated in a hard voice and that made him pause.

 

   "I could just kill you," he tilted his head, brooding, and I shrugged.

 

   "So kill me," just let me see Bran, please? If he was injured I was going to do some serious butt kicking.

 

   "Leave the killing to me, please," I flinched at the voice, and turned as far as I could in the restraining hands. I knew who I would see but I was still shocked.

 

   "Hey Saibh," I greeted her with a nod of the head as she came through the door and strutted to the table. The Vampires went on hyper alert, watching her with hungry and scared eyes. Obviously they were drawn to her blood but she had done something to scare them off.

 

   The very fact that she wasn't masking her scent told me she was sure that they wouldn't dare attack her. She kissed Paris's cheek, glanced at the blood on the table and smiled beautifully, looking up at me, "Vampires, give them a little taste of something and suddenly they want more."

 

   But I wasn't listening to her; I was focused on the people who had followed Saibh in.

 

   Violet eyes met mine, and I felt another dagger pierce my heart, only this one stabbed my back first.

 

   My former Guardian Angel looked back at me.

 

 

 

 

 

14.

   Rom looked away first, a flash of pain and guilt crossed his face but I was too caught up in what he was doing there to even think about his reactions.

 

   What was he doing there? With Conan at his back too. Hadn't Saibh herself said their duty protecting me was over, that they had another job. I guess she was the one they worked for. Which meant they...

 

   No. Rom wouldn't do that, I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts as I watched Rom come into the room and stand just off to the side of me, he was looking anywhere but me. Guilt and something else made him stand tense and slightly hunched, his fist balled in his pockets.

 

   Rom would never hurt me. Would he?

 

   Saibh employed other Weres. I choked on the words I tried to say, the questions I wanted to ask, finally managing a weak, hoarse, "You... you killed my mum."

 

   He jerked and that was the only conformation I needed. I wanted to break down right then and there, the tears that had been threatening to overflow ever since Alice rang started to pool over my cheeks. I wanted to kick and scream, to hurt him, to hurt anything, just to get rid of the anger and grief that clawed like a wild beast under my skin.

 

   But that didn't happen. I didn't let rip. The tears stopped and exhaustion set in. The vampires had tensed up, waiting for me to attack someone, since that seemed to be all I was doing. So they weren't expecting me to just slump in their grip, defeated. That was how I felt, defeated.

 

   "So, Evie, you remember Rom?" Saibh smiled indulgently at the wolf, I felt a mild irritation at her flirty look, and a lot of hate, but it barely broke through the numbness that was settling in. "I sent Conan and him to... persuade your father to join us."

 

   Persuade was a nice way to say 'Murder your mother'.

 

   "Back fired, didn't it though," I muttered bitterly, "You weren't anticipating Calhoun to be overcome with grief - to mourn."

 

   Saibh simply smiled, whilst anger burned behind her eyes, "He is more human than I thought."

 

   "You make that sound like a bad thing," I spat, I'd given up looking at Rom, it was too painful. He'd been my guardian all my life, and suddenly he'd changed sides. Good to bad. He'd hurt me.

 

   "Humans are weak," she retorted and smiled smugly. In that moment I pitied her, it showed in my face because she narrowed her eyes.

 

   "A weak person knows their limits and can get stronger, a powerful person has no fears, and is arrogant; therefore they make more mistakes," there I was, going all philosophical on strangers, as usual. But Calhoun had taught me that one, when I was seven years old and starting to learn Fencing. He hadn't wanted me to get too cocky.

 

  Saibh sneered and stepped round the table to stand in front of me, I was very aware that the vampires had let me go, and I had clear access to the knife I had filched from the tall Hyena.

 

   "And what mistakes have I made?" she tilted her head and smiled condescendingly at me. The pen knife slipped into the palm of my hand. I smiled back,

 

   "You made three. One: thinking that Asher would give up everything just for me, as if. Two: killing my mum and hurting my family," my thumb ran over the folded blade, just a little closer...

 

   "And three?" the blade flicked out but before anyone could process the noise I had plunged the small blade through her chest. As everyone lunged to defend Saibh another pair of hands grabbed my shoulders.

 

   "Three was pissing me off," I knew I hadn't killed her but it was a mighty bad wound, and the blood was definitely distracting the vampires, I could see Conan trying to push Saibh under the table as several vampires circled, even the ones who had been guarding the door had come in, lured to the blood like the Pied Piper's tune lured the rats.

 

   It was my chance. I stomped on the two of whoever had grabbed me, the hands released me and I turned to see it was Rom. Except my little stomp hadn't been the reason he let me go, but two Hyenas clinging to his arms.

 

   The three Were's fought, the Hyenas were pretty good. I didn't know why they were helping me, what they were hoping to get from it, but I appreciated it and ran.

 

   Outside I didn't care if I was attracting attention, I just headed for the place Honey and I had come from, zipping through the crowd until a hand grabbed me. I jerked to a stop, looking up at the vampire who held me, a murderous look on his face,

 

   "P-Paris! He's being attacked, that fairy!" I barely finished before he was gone, slipping easily through the crowd, I saw several more bouncer vampires head for the exclusive room.

 

   Perfect. The more vampires the better. They rarely snapped out of a feeding frenzy until they got blood, and the Familiars had scarpered almost as soon as Saibh had appeared. And when a vampire didn't get food he got mad.

 

   There would be one hell of a fight in that room, and Saibh would be incapacitated, Conan and Rom unable to fight properly and the vampires going mad with the need to drink the Fairy's potent blood.

 

   I estimated I had five minutes before anyone came after me.

 

   Good thing I can run fast. It took me barely two minutes to get to the kitchens, I'd seen the signs when Honey had been escorting me around. And Edward had been kind enough to reveal with his mind where the blood is stored.

 

   I burst into the kitchens and looked around, none of the cooks noticed me, but they did notice the piercing shrill siren that rang out when I smashed the fire alarm in. They dropped what they were doing and were out the kitchen in an instant.

 

   I raced through the ovens to the huge fridge, ironic that one was labelled Freezer with a black shape of a man beside it, whilst on the fridge someone had drawn a cartoony silhouette of Dracula. The kitchen staff had a sense of humour.

 

   I yanked the door open and was hit by a blast of cold air, then my jaw dropped.

 

   It wasn't a huge room but it was stacked with row upon row of blood bags. Gee, I'd hate to work in the kitchen knowing what was in the fridge. Creepy.

 

   I glanced at the labels, skimming through the rows closest, noticing that there were several that were dated today, and were warmer than the others, some bags read: Telepath. Others read: Black Fairy.

 

   Well that was easier than I expected. Grimly I gathered up all the bags with my blood and Bran's bag, somehow managing to get them all to a kitchen counter. I left the door to the blood fridge open as I quickly ran to each oven, turning the gas cookers on to maximum, for good measure I found one of the pipes and using a kitchen knife I cut it. I had to get rid of the fairy blood, under no circumstances could I let Paris and his posse go to the ball with an advantage over Asher.

 

   My ears were ringing with the alarm and I was almost shaking with nerves, hoping beyond belief that this would work. It had worked in Bourne Supremacy.

 

   I rolled up several torn pages from a cooking book and turned on a toaster, jamming the paper into the toaster I made sure it was next to the gas pump and ran out the door, holding the fire proof door open with a fire extinguisher.

 

   This had better work. From the panicked minds of fleeing humans I could tell that the fight in Paris's room had escalated and that, as well as the drill, was scaring a few people.

 

   Then I turned down a few steps into a pristine white corridor. Jackpot. I saw someone hurrying towards me, Edward, distracted and preoccupied, was trying to get his white coat off as he ran. I grabbed him by the wrist, which was probably the first time he noticed me.

 

   "Y-You! F-fire alarm! We need to evacuate!" he shouted over the ringing bell and I was touched he was concerned but I needed to find someone first.

 

   "The fairy, Bran, where is he?" I shook him when he didn't answer, then stopped, he was ill after all.

 

   "Third door on the left," he wasn't lying, I let him go and thanked him sincerely, he simply told me to be careful before hurrying off.

 

   Then we both went flying as explosions rocked through the building, the lights flickered on and off and I covered my head as dust rained down around me. The fire alarm was drowned out by the noise, I couldn't describe the noise, it was like an action movie, where everything and anything was on fire or exploding.

 

   The toaster trick had worked better than I'd thought. But it also meant I didn't have time to waste, ignoring the tremors I scrabbled to my feet and raced down the corridor.

 

   I practically kicked the door down in my haste to get in. And there he was, strapped down to a chair just like I had been earlier, only his straps weren't Velcro, but a metal. From the chafing and blood on his wrists I could tell he was reacting badly to whatever it was.

 

   "Bran!" I cupped his face, trying to make him open his eyes, when he didn't respond I checked him over for wounds. He had a small plaster on his arm where they'd drawn blood but looking around I saw there were no bags, they'd stopped for the day.

 

   He was wearing blue cotton hospital trousers but his torso was bare, revealing the horrible scars on his shoulders where the vampire had attacked him. I also found out that his tattoos covered the whole of his left shoulder and arm, and the swirls and patterns thickened over the area of his heart. Odd.

 

   I started yanking on the metal at his wrists, one link broke, then another and I was very, very happy to be part fairy, even if it was the source of my problems these days.

 

   "Ev that you?" I jumped at the raspy voice and cupped Bran's face pleading with him to open his eyes,

 

   "Come on cowboy, wake up, wake up!" he nodded blearily and only when he kept his black eyes open for longer than two seconds did I go back to yanking at the cuff.

 

   "What happened?" he asked groggily, trying to move his hands, he lifted his head groggily and I sent him a tense smile, trying to be reassuring,

 

   "I blew up the kitchen, only it's gotten a little out of hand and the casino might collapse any second now," my point proven when another tremor shook the room, metal instruments and hospital equipment rattled and clattered to the floor as the lights overhead flickered, one of the bulbs popped, showering me with glass.

  

   "That's my girl," he complimented me and started straining against the metal cuffs, sweat broke out on his forehead and he shook his head, "Iron. I hate iron."

 

   "I thought that was a myth," I popped the last link then began asking if he was okay with it until we left. I didn't get a chance to answer, he just grabbed my arm and yanked me easily off my feet, flinging me over his body to land safely on my feet on the other side. Where I had been standing just seconds before was now a huge bear sized black wolf, and I knew from the patchy fur on the underside of its neck that it was Conan.

 

   Teeth snapped and he started to leap across Bran's body to get me but Bran's fist connected with Conan's head before he could do much. Even tied down Bran had a lot of strength and the Viking yelped as he was flung away, crashing heavily into some metal cabinets. I turned quickly to see Rom's wolf snarling at me, violet eyes flashing and unrecognizable as he stalked forwards. Bran swore and began yanking desperately at the restraining binds.

 

   I only had eyes for Rom as I stepped away from Bran, I'd rather get attacked by Rom than watching Bran getting attacked.

 

   And then Rom pounced. I barely saw it coming, one minute he was stood in the doorway the next I was on the floor with on foot on my chest, claws scratching the base of my throat whilst his teeth hung inches from my face.

 

   My head hurt from where it had cracked on the floor but I kept my eyes resolutely on his.

 

   'I don't want to hurt you pumpkin,' I heard the voice specifically in my head, I blinked in surprise, Rom was projecting his thoughts loudly, a desperate whine rose in his throat and then he was gone, leaping instead at Bran. He was shouting from his prison, he'd broken the last cuff on his hand and was trying to get the ankle one's off, Conan in the opposite corner was getting to his feet, wobbly and shaking his head.

 

   Both wolves were now aiming for Bran who with a herculean effort had ripped the last cuffs off and was getting to his feet, ready to do business with his hands clenched into fists. Rom stood on the bed whilst Conan stalked closer, both wolves were wary, like they knew, even though he was tired and groggy, Bran was a dangerous man.

 

   Wincing I got to my feet, using a cupboard for support. I felt a stab of pain in the palm of my hand and watched, horrified as a trail of red something came from the door and wrapped around my fingers, it felt hot and slimy and it took everything in my power not to slap at it and scream 'Get it off, get it off!'

 

   But the pain was sharp and it felt like all the muscles of my hand were being ripped apart. I dropped to my knees as it travelled up my arm, agonisingly slowly. Looking at my hand I saw only a black burn mark of some sort in the centre of my palm, the red had disappeared but I didn't necessarily think that was a good thing. My vision swam and I sweat broke out across my forehead as the pain became unbearable,, I could taste blood and knew I had bitten my lip.

 

    "What you are feeling now is my little 'Kiss of Death'," I struggled to raise my head, looking up at Saibh as she strutted casually in the room.

 

   "Crap, you survived? And here I hoped you were Vampire chow," I grit out and she smiled, crouching down beside me, her white blouse stained with blood, torn here and there, a few scratches and grazes healing as she spoke,

 

   "You cannot get rid of me that easily, Evelyn," she stroked my cheek and growls and roars dragged our attention to the fight between the two wolves and Bran. He was handling himself pretty well so I went back to focusing on myself, my whole right side was not functioning, unmoveable with pain, but with my free hand I subtly reached for a needle, the syringe full of some milky coloured liquid.

 

   "My wolves, they are so loyal, so strong. They will wear Bran out and I will once again take him home - he is such a softy sometimes. Why he is obsessed with you I have no-"

 

   Who cared what it was, all I knew it was sharp, pointy and I was going to use it. Saibh screamed as with my remaining strength I leapt forward and stabbed it into her neck, then as she reached for me I injected the liquid into her blood.

 

   She whacked me once across the face and I slammed into the metal cupboard, my head ringing as black fog clouded my mind. But through the pain I had the satisfaction of seeing her pull the needle out, look at it, blink, then her face sagged and she slumped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

 

   Score: one all.

 

   Although it was hard to tell who won when I, too, blacked out.

 

   As I fought through the black depths of unconsciousness I became distantly aware that the ground was moving under me, or rather, I was moving. A pair of arms held me securely against a solid chest, and I looked up, suddenly flung back into the past when I'd fallen down a ditch into a dyke, and Calhoun had had to fish me out, and then rush me inside to warm me up.

 

   I looked at the familiar face, smeared with dirt and hair grey with dust, his eyes looked down at me with worry, I felt like a little seven year old, cold and scared. In that moment I was so relieved, so overwhelmed that I forgot everything.

 

   "Dad," I sobbed, there was a rush of magic, somewhere at the back of my mind I thought I heard the whispered echo of my voice, and the Abjure shattered and broke, until it was a distant memory.

 

   I fell back into unconsciousness with the knowledge that I was once again a daughter, and that my dad was there, to protect me, like he always had, like he always would.

 

 

waaaaahhh I can’t be bothered any more! I’ve already written this bloody chapter but my damn computer eated it all up and I had to redo it �" so it’s no way near as good as it was cause I can’t remember what I wrote so it’s all different! ALL DIFFERENT!!!! Sod it. Have I got enough cusses in there? Hmm, nope. F**k, f**k, fuckity f**k.

… Ahem. I’m done.

Enjoy. (That’s an order.)

 

 

 

15.

   Being lost sucked. Especially when you thought you had everything figured out, when you were certain you were on the right track and suddenly it turns out the map was upside down, or you’d taken a wrong turn.

 

   Suddenly I didn't know left from right, north from south, and I was tripping over my own feet, walking circles. It left me nauseous.

 

   But being handcuffed to a chair sucked way, way more. As far as I was concerned my internal dilemmas were nothing compared to the cold metal around my wrist.

 

   I yanked on it with my super strength �" nothing happened. Damn vampire handcuffs. I glared at the locked door.

 

   “They are so dead.”

 

 

 

One Hour Earlier…

   The silence was so thick you could probably cut it with a knife. Tension radiated between me and the man stood by the window.

 

   I wondered how he could stand there, looking so… calm, when things were so mad. Or maybe it was just me; my thoughts and emotions were so tumultuous I was making myself dizzy.

 

   Not that you could blame me, I mean, the last time I saw my father was when I was abjuring him, a painful and cold magical thing that I now hated myself for more and more.

 

   I glanced at him again, took in his almost empty expression as he looked out the airplane window. Only his eyes portrayed the numbing grief he must have felt. I thought his hair was a few shades greyer; his face might have had a few more lines. Were they old or recent? Had I caused that or had mum’s death?

 

   A stab of pain lanced through my heart. I’d never been as close to mum as I had been to dad, and I’d torn him from my life whilst the other had been ripped from it. And the regret, the guilt and grief I felt was enough to make my eyes sting and my throat seize as I held back sobs.

 

   I’d recovered from the explosion in of Tooth and Claw �" thank god for my super duper fairy powers. I’d suffered a few broken ribs, a dislocated shoulders, my wrist was still swollen from being broken in several places, I had a shrinking lump on the back of my head and several gashes and scratches, now scars.

 

   Bran had been pretty beat up too, turned out I owed him my life. When I’d knocked Saibh out the two wolves had run to her aid and disappeared �" just as the roof collapsed. Bran had covered me with his body until dad came to the rescue and magicked us out.

 

   I spent the next two days healing and recovering at Lupa �" the logic being that the Vegas vampires wouldn’t think to look in the most obvious place.

 

   Of course, we’d forgotten about the other vampires, i.e. Asher. He sent a limousine and his more trusted familiars to collect us and take us to the airport �" when I say us I really meant me, since I was meant to do my psychic thing and check people over before the ball.

 

    And then Bran wanted to come, and then dad, and then Jonno refused to be left out of the ‘fun’, and then Delilah �" so of course Milo was adamant the vampires couldn't be trusted and he should come along to be the big protective boyfriend. And his father and Rowan wanted to come as ‘back up’ and then Asil snorted with contempt and said the tigers were useless in a crisis and he and his wolves should come to.

 

   It was with great difficulty that we persuaded Alice to stay behind, the house being too dangerous so she went to Blacke to stay with Carol and Sam (I pitied them; that red head had a fierce temper).

 

   So we all piled onto the private plane �" and to top it all off I still hadn't had the ‘talk’ with dad. It had been tense in the car, awkward on the plane, unbearable in the ride to Asher’s mansion in the middle of Californian wilderness.

 

   The huge elephant in the room had followed us from Lupa, and now, in Asher’s country mansion office, it was just me, dad and this great big elephant. I was starting to get attached to it, I imagined if you could see it he’d look a lot like Elmer, multicoloured like a patchwork quilt �" not quite ordinary. It suited.

 

   “Don’t say it,” dad cut in just as I opened my mouth to speak. My teeth snapped shut, how the hell did he know I was going to say anything? “You don’t need to apologise for anything, Phoebe.”

 

   As much as I wanted to skip over the whole emotional crap I could not leave it at that. “Yes, yes I do. If I hadn't of got caught up in all this none of this would have happened. I mean, I’ve cause so much trouble for you �" for mum �" what with the vampires in England, and then in Lupa. And even when I’m gone I still somehow find a way to ruin your lives, life. Oh god,” I rubbed my face, groaned, I was messing things up. “Mum deserved better.”

 

   “No. No she loved you, she would have walked to the ends of the world and back if it meant keeping you safe, Phoebe,” dad had turned back to look at me but he looked a little blurry, I blinked as hot tears spilled over my cheeks.

 

   “What about her safety?” It was unfair, dragging mum through all this, all she wanted was a nice, normal life with her husband and kids. I just had to go and ruin that, didn't I?

 

   “When you’re a parent you’ll understand,” dad completely waved away anything else on the topic of mum, changing the subject not very subtly, “Which makes me wonder: what is the relationship between you and Bran?”

 

   Could he have picked a more embarrassing topic? A blush crept up my neck as embarrassment flooded through me, completely washing away my tears.

 

   “Er. Nothing?” boyfriends, soulmates, etcetera �" not something I wanted to talk about with my dad. Nuh-uh. No. Can you say awkward? He turned from the window and gave me a semblance of a stern look, almost making me smile. Dad could never do stern.

 

   “You know he’s the old Welsh King, don’t you?” shock hit me like a freight train. Way too many emotions for me to deal with, I’d gone from grieving, to embarrassed to stunned.

 

   “Well, thanks for ruining that surprise,” I mumbled, scowling at the door I knew Bran was about to come through, any second, and then I’d give him what for. I’d bared my heart and soul to him and he had never once mentioned he was royalty.

 

   “You know which King I’m talking about, Phoebe? The-”

 

   “One with the crown?” I interrupted snarkily, still glaring at the door. Any second. “Yeah, I know which one, the one who owned the Cauldron of Matholwychy-mabob. Or something. The Black cauldron, raised dead, big battle over it because Bran gave it as a wedding present when his sister got married. Husband turned out to mistreat his sister and Bran got pissy, etcetera, etcetera. It was only broken when a living guy climbed inside the tub.”

 

   I may have been looking at the door but I didn't miss dad’s startled look, I grinned sheepishly and gave him a shrug, “I do listen to you sometimes �" plus it was a film, sort of. For a cartoon it was pretty close to the truth.”

 

   He shook his head, smiling wryly, “I’m learning not to be surprised when it comes to you.”

 

   I bowed with an eccentric flourish, but one look at my hand sobered me. I could have died. I looked at the red burn in the centre of my palm. Saibh’s Kiss of Death. I’d learnt she had a little trick she lived to use when she wanted to cause a long and painful death. Burning out people’s souls. Not nice.

 

   If I hadn’t stabbed her when I did I would have died. As it was it took a lot of magical power from Bran to help me recover fully, although the scar remained. I’d been surprised Bran had that much magic in him, after all you’d have to be bloody strong to counter magic as old as Saibh’s. But now I knew.

 

   Bran was a king. Why couldn't I find someone normal? First a vampire, then a werewolf, then a roman and now a welsh king with a bad temper (or so it said in the legends; why else would he go to battle over a damn pot?)

 

   Normal. That word kept popping up. Who knew what normal was anymore? I bet someone would look at my life and say, damn girl, you are one crazy kid, and I’d look back at their simple go to school, get drunk, do homework mundane life and shake my head right back with a ‘look who’s talking’.

 

   Although I could really do without the near death parts of my life. I’d lost count of how many times I’d come close to dying, the scar on my hand was just one of many reminders.

 

   Dad caught my look and his face softened with sympathy, I clenched my fist, irritated; I didn't want pity.

 

   “Where’s Jonno and Del?” I asked instead, watching the door, I could sense Asher, Bran and someone else coming up the hallway, knowing from the familiar mind that the third person was Richard.

 

    “They’re getting ready for the ball �" they need to look inconspicuous,” he replied with a shrug and I looked down at my own paint stained leggings, tatty sailor pumps and worn jean jacket.

 

   I needed to start getting ready too. Then the door opened and the three men walked in. I didn't like the looks in their eyes,

 

   “How-dee-doo gentlemen,” I said with a forced cheerful smile, noting that the three looked very, very handsome in their suits and bow ties. Richard and Asher were hot, but Bran was gorgeous and I could hardly keep my eyes off him, my admiration of his broad shoulders, night sky blue hair and black eyes pushed my annoyance to one side. “Can I just say you all look very dashing.”

 

   “Whilst you look a little worse for wear,” Richard snorted, “I really don’t think you’re up to tonight’s events.”

 

   I was stupid for not running for the hills then and there, “Nonsense, I’m fit as a fiddle. I’m ready for some vampire a*s kicking; maybe I’ll get my hands on Saibh too and give her a good dose of whoop-pow!” I made a sharp karate chop then narrowed my eyes as the three men continued to watch me like a fox watches the chicken it’s just cornered. Dad stood behind them silently.

 

    “I am afraid there will be no ‘whoop-pow’ for you tonight, Evelyn,” Asher informed me with a small twitch of the lips.

 

   “Like hell there isn’t! This Cinderella is going to the ball and you ugly stepsisters can’t stop me,” big mistake. Of course they could stop me. One fairy king, one master vampire and one Werelion Rex. I was outnumbered.

 

   “I’m sorry, Evelyn, but we’ve come to an agreement,” Bran shrugged, not at all sorry, the b*****d. “You are too valuable to get caught up in whatever goes on tonight.”

 

   “I’d like to see you try and stop me,” I practically growled, oh smart, Evelyn, just tempting fate now, aren’t you?

 

   Richard grinned wickedly, “Gentlemen are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

 

   They moved so fast, it was really so unfair. One minute I was stood hands on hip the next Bran had pushed me into a solid metal chair whilst Asher held my shoulders down from behind and Richard snapped handcuffs on my wrists, looping the chain through the armrest so I was well and surely attached to the chair.

 

   And then they were back to standing in front of me, all three looking down at me, their captive, hostage, with undeniably smug expressions.

 

   I tugged at the chains for a while, but whilst I could snap normal chains with my strength these chains hardly reacted. Great, Asher had used the handcuffs he normally used on bloodthirsty crazed vampires.

 

   I gave up and glared at the men, “The fact that all three of you were thinking about handcuffs and me is rather perverse.”

 

   Bran winked and I was too angry to blush. I jangled the handcuffs, “Stop being idiots and let me go! I still haven’t checked over the guests-”

 

   “It’s a sad, sad day when a three hundred year old vampire has to rely on an eighteen year old psychic,” Richard actually patted Asher’s shoulder in sympathy. It seemed ganging up on me had created a new found sense of comradeship.

 

   “I have managed long enough without your help, Evelyn,” Asher smiled gently, “I think this old vampire can manage one more night. Besides, your warning allowed us to prepare. We have lions, wolves and tigers, more vampires �" and even your Hyenas decided to join our side. Plus your escapade in Vegas weakened Paris greatly. I think we shall be fine.”

 

   “Then why lock me up?” I shouted, stomping my feet. I’d give them a minute to explain themselves before I used magic.

 

   “Because you, my dear, have a knack for getting into trouble,” Bran leant down and before I could move away smacked a kiss on my lips. I glowered, my hands itching to hit him.

 

   “To put it simply, Phoebe, we worry about you,” dad interrupted with an almost impatient look at the three men.

 

   “Yeah well I’m more worried about you �" they have fairy blood to make them super strong and super scary, I mean ten vamps took over the house easily. I may have destroyed the supply of blood in Vegas but there's still Saibh,” I somehow managed to shrug, “Bt, whatever, I’ll just break the handcuffs, stop by at the buffet bar and then come rescue you �" at the same time shattering your egos because, well, because I’m a girl and you’re guys and it screws up the balance of things.”

 

   “You’re thinking you’re actually going to get ou,” Richard winked and headed for the door, “See you later, Evie, sorry you have to miss the fun.”

 

   “A*****e,” I called after him, Asher patted my shoulder, a sweet smile on his face,

 

   “I have seen too many friends die, I’d rather you did not join the list,” he kissed my forehead and left as well, leaving me with dad and my dumb Soul mate.

 

   “Please don’t do anything stupid, Phoebe,” dad said, giving me a small salute before he, too, left. Nothing emotional, like they weren’t about to face the biggest danger in the whole entire universe.

 

   “Ev…” Bran started, I just pouted up at him with misery. He knelt beside me, still tall enough that his head was my height. “Ev you have to understand, we’re doing this to protect you.”

 

   I sneered and looked away, hurt and angry beyond belief. “Well then make sure if you survive this never to cross me ever again �" I swear I will kill you myself.”

 

   “I’d be disappointed if you didn't,” he kissed me again, this time a little longer and I didn't resist. You’d have to have an iron will to push those lips off.

 

   When he got up and headed for the door I dredged up some of my previous anger and put it into my voice as I called, “Why don’t you go all out and lock the door too?”

 

   He smiled and the door clicked shut. Then the lock hit home and I swore. I didn't mean it.

 

   Looking at the clock I knew I had an hour and a half until the guests would start arriving.

 

   Time to start on the handcuffs.

 

 

 

 

16.

   An hour later I really hadn't made all that much progress, however I had bent the metal arm rest somewhat �" success! Not.

 

    I admit I had a bit of a paddy; yanking desperately at the chain and jumping around in the chair, stomping my feet in some vain hope that someone might hear me and come rescue me.

 

   Of course either no one heard me or they were ignoring me, Asher must have warned them to leave me locked up.

 

   Damn him, when I got free I was going to kill him �" if Saibh didn't get there first.

 

   I shook around again, yanked my arms to the side then yelped when two of the chair legs left the floor. There was an awful moment where I teetered precariously, the floor loomed before me and then the chair tipped all the way and I crashed to the floor.

 

    And here I thought things couldn’t get any worse. The breath whooshed out of me and a sharp pain went through my shoulder as I collided with the floor, my hip went numb from cracking against the metal of the arm rest. Luckily I managed to prevent my head from snacking on the ground but it still took me a while to get my bearings.

 

   Funny how things look so much more different when you’re on the floor.

 

   It was as I was looking at the now horizontal door that I realised the chair was no longer nailed to the floor like it had been. Great, one step closer to escape. The clock dinged and I watched as the hand struck half nine. Party time. Already I could sense them in my mind, the hum of animals, the deathly unnatural silence of the vampires, other fleeting thoughts of supernaturals flitted through my mind.

 

   ‘Oh what lovely decorations…’ sweet young lady, completely in awe of everything shiny �" newly entered into the supernatural world.

 

   ‘At least there's something more than blood to drink…’ cynical middle aged man who hated vampires.

 

   ‘Ten. I have to leave  by ten…’ why would someone, a familiar at that, need to leave half an hour into a party? I pinpointed the familiar, realised it was someone serving drinks, drinks laced with magic, whether it would kill or put to sleep I didn't know. And I could tell from the guy’s mind that he was Paris’s familiar, a survivor from the Tooth and Claw incident.

 

   I got my knees under me and pushed to my feet, dragging the chair after me. Whatever he was doing it wasn’t good, not if it involved Paris. And if Paris’s Familiar had gotten through to the party I wondered who else might have sneaked in. Not a nice thought, really.

 

   “You might want to let me out round about now!” I yelled, shuffling up to the door. The chair was weighted with lead, designed to stick in the ground so that wild vampires couldn't get loose �" I guess it was thanks to them that the nails had come a little loose. “Hello-oo! Mad people have drugged the drinks! Y’all are going to DIE!”

 

   So I might have been a little hysterical but considering the circumstances I was entitled to a little hysteria and mad rambling.

 

   I kicked at the door, swearing that when I got out Bran’s royal butt would suffer the consequences, I paused. That sounded ruder than I intended. A hysterical giggle escaped my lips, but I smothered it, then pictured Rom’s butt. Now that sobered me.

 

   That b*****d. He would pay. Even if he did it against his will I would make sure he paid. No one kills my mum and gets away with it.

 

   I twisted awkwardly to try and kick the door again; at the same time my foot was going to connect I heard a click and the door handle moved.

 

   “No-” too late the door swung open and I winced as my foot glanced off the door and wood smacked into my leg. Even leaning on the chair I couldn't stay balanced and twisting to try and avoid head butting the metal I fell to the floor, unfortunately the chair toppled over with me.

 

   I had a moment to see the silver metal hanging over my body, attached to me by the dastardly chain, before it thumped across my chest. The breath was knocked out from me as the weighted metal smacked across my ribs and sat there.

 

   “F**k a duck,” I wheezed, stunned, trying to get the chair off.

 

   Through the gaps I could see a thick pair of black denim clad legs and some very nice boots. They shifted and a face loomed over the chair, I flinched.

 

   Rodolfo leered at me. “Looks like the little birdie is trapped.”

 

   “Ha, ha… so not funny. What are you doing here?” he put a hand on the metal chair, using the smallest bit of force to press the metal further into my chest. A chill washed over me, goose bumps raised the hair on the back of my neck. This wasn’t going to end well. You didn't need to be psychic to know that.

 

   “We’re all here �" or rather I should say, all the people you did not kill are here,” he grinned and I saw the fangs, the chair pressed down some more, digging painfully into my chest bone. “And you know what we’re going to do? We’re going to do what you did; only we will be much, much more thorough.”

 

   Horror washed through me like ice cold water, “Bo-bomb?”

 

   I was almost scared to find out. Rodolfo’s leer grew and I knew I was right. They were going to drug all the guests then set off the bomb �" you can’t run away when you’re asleep.

 

   “You being here is an even bigger plus �" we thought you might have died in the explosion. If I hadn’t overheard some maids talking about the mad girl locked in Asher’s office I might not have found you,”

 

   Damn, I knew there was a reason hysteria was bad. Rodolfo straightened up, dragging the chair up with him, yanking my hands up after him and lifting me painfully off the floor, my healing wrist complained with pain.

 

   There was a moment where I was lifted clear off the ground, grudgingly in awe of the fact that Rodolfo could lift both the chair and me with one hand. Of course he couldn't do it for long so with a flick of the wrist he chucked the chair, and I was dragged after it like a raggedy rag doll.

 

  

 

   I was kind of hoping my fairy grace and quick reactions might have kicked in, but this was me we were talking about, since when did things ever go the way I wanted?

 

   I collided with the office wall, the chair thudded with it so hard I was blinded by a cloud of plaster and paint as I crumpled to the floor, once again the chair clattered on top of me. Who knew a chair could cause so much damage, to walls and to me! I was black and blue and the vampire hadn't even touched me yet.

 

   I tried to get to my feet but the chair hampered my movements, and then Rodolfo was in front of me again, that horrible sneer twisting his handsome features to some visage from hell.

 

   His cold fingers wrapped around my throat and I was lifted off the ground, “The Master told me your blood tasted like heaven, I’ve never been a fan of angels and pearly gates but I find myself curious.”

 

   “Curiosity killed the cat,” I wheezed helpfully, struggling feebly against him but my former terror and fear of all things supernatural and toothy had reappeared. It locked my limbs; a cold hand grasped my heart. I couldn't fight him.

 

   Laughing like a mad man he slammed me against the wall, my head cracked against it and I saw stars as he leant forward, his cold breath washing over my face, “Just one bite.”

 

   His lips brushed my neck like a fleeting lover’s kiss, the sharp points of his pearly fangs grazed my skin, and then there was a blinding pain. Then nothing.

 

  

 

 

 

17.

   I didn't die �" like hell I did! Me, Phoebe Evelyn Sullivan, the Ultimate Tough Cookie, die from an itty bitty bite? Pah. No way, I just, might have, maybe, fainted.

 

   In my defence I had taken a bump to the head, and he caught me by surprise. If I’d been on form I’d have been able to fight him off, as it was my body was just a dead weight and I was… hell I was having an out of body experience.

 

   I couldn't feel my body, it was like I was this floating ethereal body, I couldn't see anything but I could hear a lot. It was like someone had switched off the lights and put me in a sensory deprivation tank �" except my ears still worked, my inner ears that is.

 

   Thoughts hit me left right and centre; I was knocked off balance by internal chatter and mumblings. It was the oddest sensation in the entire world �" even stranger than having blood sucked from your neck. I felt a lot like Mr. DNA from Jurassic Park, getting attacked by the speeding strands of DNA.

 

   ‘I spilt wine on my dress,’ a poor young woman moaned and I felt a mild irritation,

 

   You think you’ve got problems, I thought angrily and I felt her shock and surprise.

 

   ‘What the F**k?!’ I guess she must have heard me, and with my amazingly quick mind I realised the advantages to that.

 

   I began seeking out a friendly mind, thinking that as Bran was my soul mate I might have had a stronger connection with him. Turned out I was wrong, again.

 

   I’d completely forgotten that my twin was out enjoying the party. I tuned solely into his thoughts and listened curiously, and worriedly as his thoughts were extremely angry and violent. Lets just say he didn't like vampires and wanted them all to burn.

 

   Careful what you wish for, Jonno, I warned him silently, hoping he could ‘hear’ me. I needn’t have worried,

 

   ‘PHOEBE? What the hell are you doing in my head?’ Good thing he didn't say that out loud, he would have gotten a lot of dodgy looks for that.

 

   ‘Oh, you know, just hanging around, checking out the party,’ I tried to sound blasé, not wanting to alarm him that the building could blow up any second. ‘Have you had anything to drink?’

 

   ‘Wha-? Yeah, I’m on my second shandy, what’s that got to do with it?’ Jonno had always been good at focusing his thoughts, and now he knew I was in his mind he was keeping a firm hold on his more dark thoughts. Thank God.

 

   ‘Don’t drink it, put it down now; it’s drugged �" all the drinks are drugged,’ I felt his alarm and knew that he had put it down almost immediately on the nearest surface.

 

   ‘Care to explain?’ funny how mental voices sounded almost identical to a normal voice, it was like we were having a normal conversation, only in pitch black.

 

   ‘Go find Asher, and Bran, and Dad, or someone responsible �" there’s a bomb,’ smart move Phoebe, could you not have broken it to him a little nicer?

 

   ‘WHAT?!’ except I knew from the embarrassment that cut through his alarm that he had also said it out loud.

 

   ‘Jeez Jonno, could you look any crazier?’

 

   ‘There’s a bomb?’ he hissed, panic washing through him and clogging his thoughts like a dense mist. ‘When were you going to tell me?’

 

   ‘Please, go find Asher before the men in white coats come to take you away,’ I sighed impatiently, mentally rolling my eyes.

 

   ‘Smart arse,’ he growled, but I knew he was doing what I said,

 

   ‘Dumb a*s,’ I retorted with a cheeriness that irked him, but to my surprise he dismissed me with a wry mental shrug of the shoulder. Jonno had learnt some patience, who knew?

 

   ‘Are you going to tell me what’s going on now?’

 

   ‘Do you promise not to look like an idiot again?’ I shot back sweetly and he huffed with impatience, an actual, mental huff.

 

   ‘Bran’s here with Asher, tell me what you want to say to them,’ it was a ploy to make me speak, I knew it �" you can’t lie inside your head.

 

   ‘Nice try, I told you to find Bran not the bathroom,’ I knew from his surprise that my guess was right.

 

   ‘Can you see me?’ he asked suspiciously and I could picture him looking around him for some sort of ghost.

 

   ‘Yes, I’m standing right behind you now hurry up! The more time you waste the more blood this vampire is drinking �" do you know how tiresome-‘

 

   ‘There’s a f*****g vampire sucking your blood! Why the f**k didn't you say?’ he demanded, distress made him lose control of his thoughts and I was left reeling from the sudden blast.

 

   ‘Calm down Jonno �" go. Find. Bran… Please,’ I added for good measure. And reluctantly he went off.

 

   ‘You should have said,’ he repeated, frightened. I felt a rush of affection for my little brother,

 

   ‘I was more worried about the bomb,’ I replied, it was a lie, I was actually more worried about the fact that the more blood Rodolfo drank the stronger he got.

 

   Which would really, really suck.

 

   ‘What do you want me to say to Bran? And Asher,’ he added with disgust, I wanted to chide him but it really wasn’t the time, later, perhaps. If we survived.

 

   ‘Tell him the drinks are drugged, one of Paris’s familiars is here, a bomb will go off at ten �" with us all inside if we don’t evacuate,’ I let could feel Jonno’s growing agitation, but it wasn’t stemming from the situation, it was because of something Asher and Bran were doing. ‘Oh, and tell them because they locked me up I couldn't fight and Rodolfo is currently a-sucking mah blhud.’

 

    ‘Bran’s gone and Asher’s evacuating �" also sending off some people to look for bombs and find the familiar’s,’ he was tense, moving against the crowd to find Del and Milo. ‘You’ll be okay, right Phoebe?’

 

   ‘I’m always okay, little brother,’ I slipped out his mind, the voices were getting tinny and fainter and I knew I was either about to lose consciousness or snap back into my body.

 

   The latter happened. One minute I was floating in the aether and the next I was back in my body with a great big pain in my neck.

 

   I squirmed and the grasp on my shoulder tightened, claws digging in. I whimpered as with each suck Rodolfo caused a horrible aching pain that I could feel through my bones.

 

   “Get off of her,” a low voice commanded, the promise of a very slow and painful death in those four simple words. Rodolfo actually froze, hell I froze, looking over his shoulder to look at my amazing knight in shining armour.

 

   Except Bran looked more like the avenging angel of death, in his black suit, open neck black shirt and dark hair, his eyes seemed to glow even though they were black as night.

 

   Rodolfo slowly drew away though he his fingers tight on my shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder and I caught a glimpse of his bloodied mouth and red crazy eyes.

 

   “Seems I’ve upset your boyfriend,” he commented softly and shivers went up my spine.

 

   “I will not tell you again, Rodolfo,” he said the name with scorn, lifting up an awesome silver blade that could have been wider than it was long, curving slightly and looking like something out of Aladdin. “Unhand her.”

 

   Rodolfo didn't, and Bran lunged. Rodolfo moved impossibly fast, helped by my super awesome Fairy blood. Thankfully Bran was just as fast, because Rodolfo had spun me round so I was shielding him.

 

   I gulped and stared cross eyed at the silver blade that stopped just a hairs width away from the base of my throat. “Whoa…”

 

   “We’ll finish this another time, my angel,” Rodolfo murmured in my ear, kissing the already healing skin of my flesh before pushing me forward with a violent shove. Bran had moved the sword away, saving me from being pinned like a kebab, and caught me against his chest.

 

   We both looked round to see the pesky vampire had disappeared. “Stupid blood sucker �" sometimes I really hate them, don’t you?”

 

   Bran answered my question with a fierce kiss, one that was even more dizzying than the loss of blood. When he finally let me go it took a few seconds to get my breath back,

 

   “What is it with you and trouble?” he asked exasperated and I shrugged, putting a grin on my face,

 

   “Sticks to me like glitter glue,” my knees buckled and Bran guided me to the floor as I sucked in deep breaths, “Unfortunately.”

 

   “Next time I’m going to handcuff you to me,” he swore and I scowled,

 

   “Next time? I’m not planning on this happening again,” I shook my head, “No way, too much hassle, too much drama �" I’d quite like to live beyond twenty, you know.”

 

   “So would I,” he kissed my forehead and slowly gathered me into his arms to carry me,

 

   “I just remembered something… I had something for you,” he stopped and looked at my expectantly, and I punched him across the jaw. He got points for not dropping me.

 

   He wobbled his red jaw and looked at me bemused, “Huh? I save your life and you punch me?”

 

   “That’s for locking me up in the first place!” I pinched his chest and he yelped, moving me away from his body, stretching his arms as far as they went, “And that was for not telling me you were the Bran, as in His Majesty, crown an’ all!”

 

   “There was no time,” he said defensively and I scoffed derisively,

 

   “Oh yeah, no time �" hello? Whilst I was pouring my heart out could you not have butted in and said ‘hey, I’m the old King of Wales and I have a cauldron that can bring back the dead’. It wasn’t exactly difficult,”

 

   “I didn't think it was important,” he somehow shrugged, gritting his slowly healing jaw he started for the door,

 

   “Not important? Not important! You’re my soul mate! Of course it’s important!” I yelled as he carried me down the corridor towards the stairs. I could already tell that all the guests had left. There was something to be said about Supernaturals, they weren’t slow.

 

   “I thought we would have more time to learn about each other,” he responded sagely and I snorted, “These things take time, I thought I suddenly piled everything on you at once you’d, what do they say? Freak.”

 

   “I’m a half fairy, living in a world of vampires, shape shifters and seers, I’ve just found out there are two underground magical kingdoms, maybe more, and you’re worried I can’t take you being royalty? Duh.”

 

   “Well you’re freaking out now aren’t you?”

 

   “No, I’m angry now, you kept this huge secret from me �" sometimes a girl likes to know who she’s getting into a relationship with,” we reached the second floor landing and Bran was about to turn on to the next set of stairs when we both heard an audible electronic beeping.

 

   “Did Rodolfo say where he planted the bombs?” Bran asked calmly as I clung to him.

 

   “Uh, I was kind of hoping he was bluffing,” I somehow managed to squeak out, looking at the wall clock over his shoulder. “Ten o clock. Maybe we should continue this conversation later, huh?”

 

   “Agreed,” the beeping stopped; it was silent, too silent. But that didn't matter because at that moment Bran’s magic blew around us the corridor and bomb disappeared.

 

   We materialised in the cool night air, one a few hundred yards away from the big mansion. Bran dropped me and dived over me, covering me with his body for the second time I had known him.

 

   But I still saw the huge fireball that seemed not to erupt from the building but to swallow it, like some great beast. The shock waves hit us, lifting dust into my face and I clung to Bran, yelling as the deafening roar of the explosion rolled over us. I could have sworn bits of debris were raining down around us, and I thought I could feel the heat of it.

 

   We stayed still for a few minutes, the two of us too shocked to do anything, too scared to move unless it caused another catastrophe or something. And then pushed Bran, letting him roll to my side. He wrapped an arm around the front of my chest and held me, my back against his chest as I stared at what had been Asher’s beautiful country house.

 

   He was going to be so pissed. So were his guests. This ruined a lot of things, as was Saibh’s intentions. Unless Asher could round up all the supernaturals �" especially the vampires �" against Paris we could kiss a big revelation good bye.

 

   We turned at the piercing wail of sirens over the crackling of fire and watched as blue and red flashing lights grew closer. Neither of us moved, neither of us wanted to. I was quite content leaning into Bran and basking in the warm glow of the fire.

 

   “You know,” I rasped, then swallowed and started again, “You know, for our first fight that wasn’t so bad.”

 

   “Well, they never said this soul mate thing was easy,” Bran responded mildly and I chuckled, his body like a warm reassuring blanket, protecting me from the world around me.

 

   There was a whipping wind in front of us and I waited for my dad to fully materialise, the sandy wind died away, “You’re blocking the view,”

 

   His face was silhouetted by the orange light behind him, until a flashing light illuminated his grim expression, my heart skipped a few beats, oh god, who had died? The news he brought was much, much worse, “They’ve attacked Blacke. And taken Alice.”

 

   Any warm and fuzzy feelings I had disappeared, and for a second time that night I fainted.

 

 

 

 

18.

   I woke in a familiar room. My room, back at my apartment. It took me a moment to adjust. There were voices down in the lounge. Listening as I lay there I could recognise a few of them.

 

   All lions. Drinking buddies, shooting buddies; a good bunch to wake up to. Hissing at the aches of my poor body I swung my legs out of bed. Someone had put me into some PJs, I was hoping Del �" I wasn’t ready to take that step with Bran.

 

   As I started pulling discarded clothes off the floor I started mulling things over. What had dad said? How could I forget? Blacke had been attacked, and Alice had been taken. Alice. Why Alice?

 

   Was Saibh going to force her to take dad’s place on the council, or was she trying to draw him out? With Saibh you could never know for sure; she was crazy.

 

   I paused as I pulled on some black sweatpants. She was crazy. So where would she go? Thinking furiously I started pulling on my tee shirt and jacket, Saibh was mental, and arrogant. Very arrogant. And waiting for either dad, or for… me? And she would wait in the most obvious place.

 

   I shucked on my Levi boots, meant for guys but I thought they were awesomely comfy, and tipped with metal; therefore they packed a wicked kick.

  

   “Hey, Evie! You hungry?” a familiar voice called up and I leant over the rail to smile at one of the lions. James, a mechanic with zero tolerance for alcohol. With short spiky white blonde hair and a golden tan he, like most of the lions, looked like your typical beach boy.

 

   “You bet I am �" could you make me a toastie or something? Oh, and how’s Lisa?” Lisa was his pregnant girlfriend, she wasn’t pride but she knew all about them, and was pretty awesome if you asked me.

 

   “Size of an elephant,” he replied cheerfully before saluting me and disappearing off to the kitchen. I called down several hallos to the other lions I recognised, I always thought it was smart to keep on their good side, and to do that you had to be interested in them and their lives.

 

   I knew pretty much everything about them, Billy was a cop and kept crashing his cars �" we went to the same mechanic, Carlos, who also happened to be part of the pride, he was hoping to branch off with his own business.

 

   Both of them were there, so was Rosalie, a fierce looking woman with thin golden curls and striking features. She didn't like me all that much but when I went downstairs she was admiring my painting.

 

   “I’ve probably missed the guy’s birthday,” I stated, joining her at the painting. I was half surprised the paints hadn't dried; it felt like ages since I’d last been there. She sniffed and walked away, leaving me to shrug at Billy. “Where’s everyone else?”

 

   “The boss is with Asher trying to smooth things over and persuade the supes that it’s still a good idea to go on with the plan. Your papa and boyfriend went to appeal to the Fairy Queen to do something about her mad sister and your brother and sister, the wolves and the tigers, went back to Lupa and Blacke to help the survivors.”

 

   I digested the information stonily. “That bad?”

 

  “Sorry, Evie,” he patted me on the shoulder and I nodded tightly, smiling grimly at James as he came back with a plate of greasy toast and cheese.

 

   Mmm, nothing better than a good ol’ dose of grease to settle the nerves.

 

  “So no one’s looking for Saibh?” I asked through a mouthful, turning to look out the window. The old man wasn’t there, the sun was up in the sky suggesting it was midday, I’d missed the morning feeding time.

 

   “Hyenas are, since they’ve been working with Paris longer, but don’t keep your hopes up, the bomb looked to be a distraction… she really wanted your sister,” there was a question in James’s voice.

 

   “Not my sister,” I mumbled. D****t, I thought angrily, if she wanted me, or even if she didn't, there was no need to drag my little sister into it all! I spun round with a new reckless idea forming in my mind, the two lions must have seen the wild look in my eyes because they both stepped back with concerned looks.

 

   “Evie?”

 

   “Do you have a car?” Billy raised an eyebrow at my question, “I mean a fast car, really, really fast.”

 

   “I’m offended you even have to ask �" I bought the Aston Martin, remember?”

 

   “Perfect �" I’m going to have to borrow it for a while,” a frown creased his brow,

 

   “Will I get it back?”

 

   “Probably not in one piece,” I tore off a hunk of bread and smiled unattractively no doubt, “But if I live I promise to buy you a new one.”

 

   “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” James held up his hands, “’if’? What are you planning Evelyn?”

 

   “Oh you know me,” I moved several stacks of unused canvases out the way to reveal some loose planks in the wall, I pried them apart and grinned at my secret cubby hole. “Something stupid.”

 

   “What have you got in there?” Billy started forward curiously as I pulled out several boxes of cartridges, and then my favourite pump action shotgun,

 

   “A few toys,” I scrubbed some greasy fingerprints from the black polished barrel, “My baby. What? Not all of us can turn into giant animals, have to find other ways to protect myself.”

 

   I waggled my eye brows, shoved the cartridges into a small black bag and held my hand out expectantly to Billy. Open mouthed and a little dazed he reached into his jean pockets and dunked the keys into my hand, “Cheers.”

 

   “W-wait! You can’t just walk around with a shot gun! And what’re you gonna do? Look for the crazy fairy by yourself?” James tried to stand in front of me, but at that point I had reached the kitchen, as the five lions watched I reached under the kitchen counter and dislodged another hidden weapon, this time a replica of the custom made obsidian and silver dagger I’d left at Lupa.

 

  “We’ve got to start looking for all these damn weapons,” Carlos muttered. I saluted them and headed for the door,

 

   “Richard said we weren’t allowed to let you leave!” James shouted and I shrugged,

 

   “So? Tell him I threatened to make rugs out of you or something,” I shut the door before the gormless lions could even think to chase after me.

 

   I trotted out of the apartment, glad not for the first time that I lived on a reasonably quiet street, I would have looked pretty damn crazy walking around with a shotgun, a knife and black Alias styled clothes.

 

   I looked up and down the street, a smile broke out across my face as I saw the black sleek car, not as good as my original Impala, or smart Lexus, but good enough. L.A was definitely the place to be for posh sport’s cars. Just a shame I was probably going to wreck this one.

 

  That would put my total up to four, although technically the Lexus blowing up wasn’t my fault.

 

   I was just climbing in when the lions suddenly twigged that it probably wasn’t a good idea to let me go, the engine roared to life just as Billy leapt down the front steps. I pealed away from the sidewalk and he did a good job of sprinting alongside me, right until I joined the main road, weaving into the traffic as car horns blared around me.

 

   Crazy woman driver! Yeah, that was me. Crazy, and on a mission. If Saibh wanted me then she could have me, but I wasn’t going to make it easy. No way.

 

   First things first: Find a phonebook. I needed to find her address. One thing, would she be under just Saibh or Queen of the Crazies?

 

 

 

 

 

19.

   Billy had left his phone in the car. It hadn't stopped ringing since I’d left L.A, hell a few hours later I’d crossed the Californian state border and it was still ringing.

 

   For maybe the thirtieth time I pressed the loudspeaker, “Hello Highway to Hell how may I help?”

 

   “EVELYN YOU STOP THAT CAR THIS INSTANT OR SO HELP ME GOD I WILL-” Richard’s voice boomed down the phone and I grinned. Seemed the lions were the only ones around, Asher was still busy placating his people, the Hyenas were still looking for Paris and my two favourite fairies were still in the Court of the Sky.

 

   I missed Bran, the stupid bond we shared made my heart ache for him even though I’d seen him just a day ago, it felt like I was missing a limb.

 

   There was no chance anyone was coming after me, and driving for this long was really boring, mean as it was the phone calls were providing a huge source of entertainment.

 

   “I’m sorry, who’s speaking?” as he shouted some more I turned the radio up to almost full volume, letting some Mariah Carey drown him out. I even sang along until I realised he wasn’t yelling. “Hello?”

 

   “Evelyn,” he breathed heavily, sounding just like the old and weary man he was, “Where are you going?”

 

   “Hell. No question about it, I am definitely going to hell, after all the things I’ve done I really don’t think God would have me,” I cut off the explosion of curses, “I’d tell you but then you’d come and get me and drag me back �" which I really, really don’t want.”

 

   “So you know where Saibh is,” he deduced. I looked around the city, the huge houses hidden behind massive white walls, the phonebook opened on a certain page with an address circled with a red pen.

 

   “No, I’m just driving for the hell of it,” I pulled up outside a certain house and look at the iron wrought gates, the letter S woven into the metal and some flat black flames at the top. Definitely Saibh’s house. I drove on, knowing it would be ridiculously obvious just to sit like an idiot in front of her house.

 

   “Evie…” he started, gearing up for a big lecture on why he thinks it’s a bad idea for me to do silly things like, say, work for vampires, or confront fairies a million times stronger than me.

 

   “I know, I know, I’m a strange twisted girl, I’m wasting my life away, blah, blah, blah, come on, Richie, I’ve heard it all before-”

 

   “I was going to say that when you come back �" alive �" I’m enrolling you at a high school,” I almost drove the car off the road, extremely embarrassing since it was quite a wide road.

 

   Suddenly I was all choked up. Richard actually thought I could survive this suicidal mission, he had more faith in me than I had faith in me.

 

   “I’ve always wanted to graduate,” I took a deep steadying breath. “See you, Richard.”

 

   “Later,” we hung up and I looked at the phone. Then cut the engine. I glanced at the gun and dagger on the seat.

 

   Time to get to work.

 

 

 

20.

   I swallowed and looked up the wall. At least thirteen feet high and tipped with barbed wire I had no idea how I was supposed to get in. I’d scoured the whole site and this was the only section of the wall that had a tree next to it. I just had to hope there was a soft landing on the other side.

 

   Muttering I hefted the bag and weapons over my shoulder and started climbing up the tree, wincing when the bark scratched my hands, branches clawed at my face �" I swear the tree was more of a thief deterrence than the wall.

 

   Somehow I managed to slide across a reasonably stable branch, then it was a case of jump and hope for the best. So trying to ignore the height, and the shiny razor wire I convinced myself my land and roll was so up to scratch I wouldn’t break anything.

 

   How wrong was I?

 

   I didn't land on a soft bed of feathers, but I think I did a damn good impression of how NOT to land, I practically belly flopped. I think my wrist broke again.

 

   “F**k!” I hissed getting to my feet and crouching as I shook my hand, only making the pain worse. I glanced around, realising that I was bang in the open of the green grass lawn, the huge Footballer’s Wives styled mansion looming in front of me.

 

   No one came running, even though I was sure someone, somewhere, must have seen me flailing around in the air like a kamikaze chicken.

 

   I didn't stop to think about it. My plan was literally: go in, gun’s blazing, raise hell, get caught. Die. Or be rescued. I was hoping someone might come and get me, no, I was banking on it. I loaded the gun and feeling as bad a*s as Arnie �" missing only the army paint and grenades �" I marched towards the house.

 

   Movement three o clock! I turned and without thinking pulled the trigger, watching with satisfaction as a plant pot exploded in a shower of clay, dirt and hyacinths, the security guard in a black suit dived out of the way and I chickened out. I sprinted for the house, screw the dramatic walk but I was not getting my arse shot before I even made it at least inside!

 

   I jumped onto the patio as several more security guards appeared �" not human, judging by the fact that every one of them was identical, big nose, bald head, empty white eyes. I couldn't read their minds; in fact they were emptier than a vampire’s.

 

   But you didn't have to be able to read their minds to know what reaching into their jackets meant. As six pistols were pulled out and pointed at me I dived for the French windows, and went straight through. Not exactly subtle and not as painless as it looked in the movies but my god it was dramatic!

 

   Glass scratched my face and arms, lethal shards rained around me and I very smartly decided to dodge to the side just as I heard the pop, pop, pop of guns being fired. Hiding behind the wall I had the pleasure of watching a sofa being riddled with gaping holes.

 

   Bugger that was scary. But not as scary as me! I leapt out from the wall, glass crunching under my feet, hoisted my gun up and glared at the things, “You call those guns, you pansies! This is a gun!”

 

   Fire, another plant pot exploded. Pump. Fire, the grass at their feet was peppered with lead. Pump. The men scattered. I grinned cheerfully despite the circumstances. Then only the gift of mind reading alerted me to the fact someone was creeping up behind me.

 

   I ducked as something sailed over my head, a table, I realised as I watched it fly through the broken doors and out on the lawn. I spun round, bringing the shotgun up only to realise my assailant was Conan the Viking. And it was then that I realised just how freakishly huge he was.

 

  “Hey Conan, hows things?” he just grunted, nothing in his eyes to say that he didn't want to fight me. He just started across the big living room towards me, the muscles of his bare chest rippled with each movement. I got to my feet and edged backwards, then started to go into the centre of the room, a part of me wanting to squeeze the trigger, another part refused.

 

   “You shouldn’t be here, Evelyn. But Saibh said you’d come,” he ground out in his gravelly voice, shoving the ruined sofa out of the way with a casual flick of the wrist. I bumped to a stop at a small coffee table. I hesitated.

 

   “She must be psychic,” I responded cheerfully, then fired the gun. I was aiming over head; luckily for me Saibh also had expensive taste and had a chandelier. I had the satisfaction of watching it now fly towards the ground where Conan stood.

 

   In a bone shattering crash it hit the ground, shards of crystal pinged off in several directions; one even hit my shin leaving a burning gouge. Unfortunately it didn't hit Conan but it did distract him long enough for me to run away.

 

    I ran right around the room and skidded out across the marble floor the way Conan had come in, his thunderous roar told me he was right behind me. I spun in time to see him charging like a mad bull, so I grabbed the huge wooden door and slammed it in his face. Just as it clicked shut he ran right through it, the splintered wood glanced off him, several pieces hitting me like shrapnel.

 

   “Holy-” I didn't wait for him to recover, just pulled my gun up and started firing, never hitting him, just aiming for objects near him, like the small figurine on the hall table, the pot plant in the corner, the wall, the floor, anything.

 

   Conan obviously got bored of dancing because suddenly he used his freaky speed so that he was in front of me, and knocked the gun from my hands, throwing it against the wall so hard it broke into pieces.

 

   I looked from it to him to my empty hands, horrified. Then he whacked me, his hand slapping into my chest with enough force to lift me off my feet and down the hall several yards. I missed the banister of the staircase by inches and as he strode menacingly towards me I rolled backwards and onto my feet, pulling the dagger from my belt. He paused as he sniffed silver but dismissed it like a lion would dismiss a rabbit.

 

   His mistake. He swung a meaty fist, I dodged under it and punched his kidney with the hard pummel, he barely staggered. I kicked the back of his knee and struck with the knife, it sliced his back and he grunted as skin burned, I almost gagged on the smell.

 

   He spun round, wild with pain, his fist glanced off my shoulder in a numbing blow, knocking me to the floor again. I rolled to my feet, then leapt up, holding onto the banister I pulled myself up and over, so I stood on the huge marble staircase looking down on Conan. He looked up, face twisted in a snarl.

 

   I had no idea what to do. I didn't want to kill him, but he was determined to kill me. He roared, the sound so beastlike it gave me chills. He started to charge.

 

  I pushed off the stairs, over the banister, grabbed his arm when it came towards me and in a sort of Jet Li styled move twisted so I was behind him and locked his arm in a firm grip. He struggled, threatening to break my weak hold and I stabbed.

 

   Conan grunted, warm liquid pooled over my hand and I took deep, sucking breaths as a whine escaped his lips. His legs buckled and he dropped to the floor, trying to clutch his back.

 

   I could only stare at the blood that blossomed from the wound. And then at the bloodied dagger in my hand. Bile rose in my throat but I swallowed it back and looked at the man.

 

   I expected hate, I would have preferred hate, but instead his eyes were full of understanding. He looked, for the first time I had seen him, like a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders, like he was finally at peace. And I hated it.

 

   What did you have to go through, how old did you have to be when death was welcomed with open arms and a smile?

 

   He mouthed something, his ruined throat working desperately but then he fell, and stayed down, unmoving, not breathing. Dead.

 

   I was too busy being in shock to notice the person sneaking up behind me, and before I knew it something had bashed me over the head, and I was swallowed by a suffocating darkness.

  

 

 

 

 

21.

   I’d never been hit round the head before, bitten, stabbed, punched; yes, but never hit over the head. It killed. My limbs felt heavy as lead, my head throbbed making my eyes tear up and I felt nauseous and unstable, like I was on a rickety boat on a stormy sea.

 

   It seemed lying down I was okay, but I made the mistake of trying to sit up, almost making the sandwich I had eaten for a late lunch resurface. I fought through it and stayed upright, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room. I realised pretty quickly I was in sort of holding cell, a bar wall secured me in a dank smelly stone prison.

 

   “Great, she has a dungeon in her house,” I touched the tender bump on back of my head as I sat back against the damp wall, “of course she does, why am I surprised?”

 

   I quickly ran things through my mind, remembered that I had stabbed Conan AND instantly looked at my hands. In the dim light I could see my hands were dark with dry blood that flaked off like old paint. I distracted myself with the fact that someone had taken my dagger, my last and only weapon.

 

   Great. Groaning I stood up and staggered to the bars, which I leant against and tried to see if my body could fit through. It couldn't. So instead I tried looking to see where I actually was.

 

   Some sort of corridor by the blinking glow of light almost twenty feet away. I rattled the bars. I’d come to kick some a*s, save my sister and die! Not get locked up without actually seeing my sister,

 

   “That won’t work, Pumpkin,” a chill went up my spine and my fingers clenched around the metal, denting it slightly. Rom stepped out of the shadows and I refused to back away, despite the fire in his violet eyes. The hate.

 

   “Ah, my fairy godmother, what a surprise to see you here,” I drawled, trying to keep my emotions under control. I felt exactly the same hate he did. He’d killed my mum, I’d killed the closest thing he had to a brother. We were equal.

 

   “Conan’s dead,” he stated, so simply, yet I recoiled like I’d been slapped, with an iron will I didn't look away from him, but I couldn't stop the surge of regret and guilt that washed through me.

 

   “So is my mother,” I snapped back, not flinching when he stepped in front of me.

 

   “I know you, Phoebe, you can’t say you killed Conan to avenge her. You killed him out of cold blood,”

 

   “Wrong! It was kill or be killed! You kill under orders, I think that’s worse, don’t you?” His nostrils flared and he grit his teeth, like he was trying to restrain himself from hurting me. “And I’m sorry. I’m sorry I killed him, you might not believe me but I am. Truly.  But if you know me then you know I would stop at nothing to protect my family. Please, Rom, believe me. Forgive me.”

 

   He stood frozen, eyes troubled from my honest plea. Then only his softening expression stopped me from backing away when he stepped up to the bars. “I… I believe you. I forgive you, I do, pumpkin, but I can’t do anything else.” He actually touched my chin in a sweet gesture, tilting my face up to look at him, “Saibh has me under her control �" I’m bound. But…”

 

    And then he kissed me. I was too startled to move away, even when his hands looped around my waist through the bars. For some reason unlike the last times he had kissed me I didn't see fireworks, I only felt his lips and a lot of discomfort. He shouldn’t have been kissing me, Bran should have. I only wanted Bran.

 

   And when Rom pulled away he saw that in my eyes, he kissed the tip of my nose with a sad smile, “I’m glad you’ve found someone you can be happy with.”

 

   I felt him slip his hands under my jacket, and then I felt a tug, heard a rip and then something heavy was put in the lining of my jacket, “Wha-?”

 

   “Shh, don’t use it until later, that’s all I can do… unfortunately I have to-” he didn't finish and I took a sharp intake of breath as a burning hot poker slid into my waist.

 

    He stabbed me! He had effing stabbed me! I stumbled against the bars, started to slide down as he stepped away with a three inch knife in his hand, blood dripping from it.

 

   “I hope you kill her before you die, I truly do pumpkin,” he walked away as I collapsed to my knees, one hand shook as I pressed it against my bleeding side, warm liquid pooling through my fingers. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, “Alice is fine, by the way, she was never here, we had her delivered to Blacke when we heard you were coming. You walked right into it, pumpkin. I thought you were smarter.”

 

   “B*****d,” was all I said. He just walked away. A few minutes later as I bled to death on the floor there was a clang and I watched blearily as two creepy zombie guards came and clanged the door open. I struggled weakly as they each grabbed an arm and hefted me to my feet.

 

   And then dragged me out of my prison. At first I tried to walk, then I just let them take my weight, for some reason I wasn’t healing. I was still bleeding. I wondered what magic he had used. Because it sucked!

 

   I squinted as the light became brighter and I was dragged up some stairs, my feet knocking on each step, and then I was dropped.

 

   Groaning I fell to the floor, trying to catch myself with weak arms, slippery with blood, “Watch it fellas, I’m precious goods.”

 

   “Spoiled goods, more like,” I looked up to see the face of the drawler. Saibh wore a beautiful dark burgundy dress that reached her knees, her feet in strappy red heels and her fiery curls tumbled over her shoulders.

 

   “Saibh, you’re looking particularly evil today,” I managed, as pride and defiance got me too my unstable feet. We were in some sort of outside courtyard, red brick floor with white columns for walls, vibrant green ivy spiralled around them and I realised there were no birds, no butterflies or insects. Save for the two of us the place was dead.

 

   “You don’t look too good, Phoebe, how are you feeling?” she asked with mock concern but I answered with a bleak smile anyway,

 

   “Peachy, ta, you? My little injection didn't do any lasting damage?” her face darkened, “Shame.”

 

   “You know, I have to say you have surprised me, Phoebe,” Saibh started walking around the courtyard,

 

   I tried to follow her with my eyes, “My aim in life.”

 

   “First you survive the vampires, then you work with the vampires, then you manage to get Asher to go on with his ridiculous plan �" as well as screwing up mine. And then, oh and then,” she laughed as if it were all some big joke, obviously I didn't join in, “And then you turned down Éabha’s offer. I really expected you to say yes. I hoped you would, after all, we are related.”

 

   I narrowed my eyes, too exhausted to be surprised, “I think I’d know if we were related.”

 

   “Well, we’re related through our magic, at least. Have you never thought it odd, how you happen to have the same powers as Éabha, and your brother has the same powers as I do �" and yet your father has neither?”

 

   I didn't want to admit that it hadn't, I was beginning to think that I should have at least realised it was odd.

 

   “My sister has always loved Calhoun, it was quite embarrassing for her really when he chose a human instead, but Éabha was never angry. It annoyed me that she could be humiliated and still loved him,” Saibh’s voice was full of contempt, “And then she had this ridiculous idea that as she was fed up being  queen she’d be better off as a human. And thought I might be better off as a human. She started secretly transferring her powers to you, feeding you with her magic. Whilst without my knowledge she gave Jonathon mine. I’ve been growing weaker �" it’s not a nice feeling.”

 

   “So the Queen’s retiring?” surely that should shock me, was I dying? I wasn’t feeling anything, my fingers were numb as well, were my emotions linked to my fingers? Why did I doubt that?

 

   “Yes, and I suppose what surprises me the most is that you have all her power, all her awesome, destructive power, and you haven’t even touched it,” she laughed again, hysterically, “And look at you now, bleeding and weak �" a lot like me. Except you will die first, and it will strengthen me.”

 

   “Uh huh,” I took a deep breath and tried to blink away the black spots that danced in front of my face. Then I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the knife Rom had given me. I weighed it in my palm, my eyes focusing and blurring as I realised it was iron.

 

    “You know what Bran told me? That with age you can get stronger, but you also become more vulnerable, that what irritated you when you were young, suddenly threatened you when you were old,” I held the blade up for her to see and grinned a little greenly, “How do you feel about fighting an injured person? Will you accept a duel?”

 

   Her eyes darted from the iron blade, to my bloody side and then to her own empty hands. I watched as a huge long sword - or was it broad? �" appeared in her hand and she smiled beautifully, “Let’s fight.”

 

   “Actually, the phrase is ‘let’s dance’ but that’s okay, you can work on being human later,” she charged at me and I only just managed to avoid being impaled. I tumbled a little as she came at me again, swinging the heavy sword like it was nothing.

 

   I had underestimated her, and overestimated myself. I couldn't fight her, not when I had blood gushing from my side and she was fit as a fiddle �" with a couple of centuries more experience too.

 

   I straightened up and used the knife to deflect the sword, making it cut a lock of my hair instead of slicing my face. She followed the blade’s momentum and I spun a kick, catching her across the back and making her stumble into a pillar, unfortunately it wasn’t enough for me to stab her.

 

   She came right back at me and even though I moved sluggishly I somehow, with amazing luck, managed to dodge or deflect all her strikes.

 

   Except I was tiring, and she was not. She could go on for years, and I was fading fast. If things went on like this I’d die of blood loss, or worse, faint and fall onto her sword.

 

   I hesitated and she lunged.

 

   I stepped into it.

 

   I couldn't even scream as the cold metal shot through my ribs, my lung, and out my back. I gasped on air, choked on my own warm blood as my lung failed. Some sane part of my mind was still working, still connected to my body, and I grasped her wrist.

 

   I now had three things I hadn't had before, her weapon, a chance to stab her, and also, unfortunately, a chest full of metal. Already I was slipping, my vision turning grey. I brought the knife up and slashed her across the neck, this time I didn't feel a thing, didn’t care, hardly moved by the look in her eyes. She didn't matter. A life for a life wasn’t a good way to live, but at that moment it was my motto, and I was loving it.

 

   She dropped to the floor, and I stared down at her, and then, a second later the floor loomed up and suddenly I was staring at the thick blood that pooled like a black lake under her body, wondering why I was so cold when the sun was so bright over head.

 

   So cold. So tired. Too weak. I wondered if it was time for Bran or dad to make their big entrance, burst in and rescue the damsel in distress.

 

   Too bad they were too late.

 

   I shut my eyes.

 

 

22.

    He found her in a pool of blood, and thought his heart had stopped then and there.

 

   “EVELYN!” the voice was his, but sounded quiet over the roaring of blood in his ears as he pounded through the ivy covered columns and skidded to a stop at her still body.

 

   Bran could only look down at his soul mate, for once in his ancient life he was unsure, and lost. He dropped to his knees and touched her cold shoulder, the moon reflecting in the puddle of blood under her body, making the silver sword that protruded from her chest glow white.

 

   “Evelyn?” he was a fool to still hope. Her eyes were shut, her skin a ghostly white, her body stained with blood black in the night. He traced her face tentatively, like the smallest touch might make her crumble to dust and nothing. “Evelyn.”

 

   Bran’s throat seized up and his eyes burned, with trembling arms her gathered her against his chest, and with a vicious yet careful tug he pulled the sword from her body, whilst a metaphysical one stabbed through his own. Dead. His Evelyn was dead.

 

   He threw the sword with hate at the still body of his former friend. A black line severed her throat but he was too traumatized to feel pride for his Evelyn, she had killed the b***h, but killed herself as well.

 

   If he had come sooner, he should have come sooner! No, he should never have left her. He remembered the fury he’d felt, when halfway through the meeting with his queen a messenger had come in saying his soul mate had disappeared. And then they had tried to use magic to find her.

 

   At first it worked, and they were tracing her successfully, until the trace disappeared: signalling the end of her life.

 

   “Bran?” he didn't turn at Calhoun’s voice, just held onto her body like it was the only thing keeping him together. He stared down at her face, so peaceful.

 

   He brushed hair from her face, remembered the first time he’d seen her. He had thought it had been some sick, cosmic joke, that the weak, rude half breed had been chosen to be his soul mate. And then she’d shown loyalty to a race she hated, shown bravery and cleverness. Was it possible for someone beautiful to become even more beautiful? Because she had.

 

   He’d been looking forward for a long life with her, he had already started planning, he had been willing to move to L.A to be with her, and even let her work with the vampires, even though he hated them. He would have walked the earth for her, stolen the moon and caught a star.

 

   He should have realised she would have done anything for her family. For the sister that was never there.

 

   “Bran?” A shadow fell over him, blocking the sun, Calhoun looked down on the grief stricken man, then stared at his daughter, her lifeless body. He took a deep breath. Not again, not Phoebe, not her, not so soon after Mary Ann.

 

   “She… I… she’s dead,” Bran croaked, sounded stunned, disbelieving. Calhoun watched as the old king traced Phoebe’s face, twisted a lock of hair around his fingers before letting it drop. He looked up at Calhoun, the moon making his tears shine like silver rivers. “She’s dead.”

 

   Calhoun stumbled away, dragged a hand over his face, felt his chest constrict and his own cold tears fall down his cheeks. There was movement in the courtyard and he watched as several panting Weres appeared. The Lions that Phoebe had befriended had come when they received a mysterious message, a man who called himself her guardian.

 

   They’d all come too late.

 

   Richard stepped up to the red headed fairy, kicked her disdainfully and looked mournfully at the king and the dead girl. He’d told her, he’d always told her she needed a new job, that she would be killed someday.

 

   She’d always dismissed him, not because she didn't believe him, but because she also knew, she’d always known. A shrill ring disturbed the silent mourning and faces turned to Calhoun as he dug his mobile out.

 

   Caller ID said Delilah. He hesitated before answering his eldest daughter, “Hello,” he croaked, coughed and tried again, something was choking his throat. Grief.

 

   “Dad? Just thought I’d call and say Alice is fine, she’d been drugged but she’s waking up now �" there wasn’t that much damage in Blacke, the bar was blown up, s’all. Hows Pheebs? Jonno wants to know if you found her, he doesn’t look too good, shaking and sweating �" do you think he drank something at that ball?”

 

   Calhoun took a deep breath, the twins had always had the strongest bond, he’d always marvelled at how close Jonno and his sister were, he wasn’t surprised that his son had felt her death.

 

   “Delilah… We found her,” he couldn't finish, he didn't have to.

 

   “No. No that doesn’t sound good, dad what are you saying? When did Phoebe disappear? Where did she go? And please, please tell me you found her al- alright,” she was hyperventilating.

 

   “She didn't know Alice had been found. She went after Saibh. They’re…” he couldn't say it, “She killed her,” he finally broke down, punched a column and watched with no feelings as blood dripped over his cracked knuckles and plaster and brick crumbled to the floor. He healed instantly.

 

   Why hadn't Phoebe?

 

   “Go search the house,” Richard told his lions, they hadn't been able to take their eyes off of Evelyn. Off the mysterious girl who had appeared eight months ago, mysterious and cocky, they’d hated her almost immediately, the psychic who worked with vampires.

 

   Then they’d seen the real her, despite her attempt to hide it, the real girl who was hurt, scared and confused. The girl who had given up everything for nothing, the girl who had given up her life whilst still living.

 

   Their attempts to protect her, to give her a normal life, had come down to nothing. She was dead.

 

   “Go. Search. The. House,” Richard growled, dangerously close to losing it. “If there’s anyone else in the house I want them found, if there’s anything of hers in the house I want it found.”

 

   They didn't see the point, the two important people were dead, but they followed their Rex’s orders, leaving the three grieving men.

 

   They were silent. What was there to say?

 

   “I can save her,” a musical voice said from the shadows, and all three whipped round to look at the intruder, shock broke through Calhoun and Bran’s pain. Éabha glided across the black bricks, the moonlight seemed to follow her, this tall magnificent woman in a sheek silver silk dress that seemed to cling to her like a second skin. She touched Bran’s shoulder in a comforting gesture, looked down at her dead sister with barely a hint of remorse before she looked at Calhoun, the love for him showed in her eyes clear as day. “I can save her, my love,”

 

   “How?” he wanted to hate her, it was after all her fault Saibh had targeted Phoebe, giving his daughter her magic had angered the already unstable fairy and pushed her over the edge. But she was offering him something he could not pass over, a chance to get his daughter back. “How?”

 

   Now his queen looked down at Bran, the blue haired fairy was shaking his head, he already knew. “Can’t, she’s dead, won’t work Éabha.”

 

   “Trust me, Bran, my friend, trust me,” she whispered, kneeling delicately and catching his chin in slender fingers, turning him to look at her, he saw only the compassion and earnestness, so sure. How he could he say no?

 

   “Save her, please,” he begged in a broken voice and she smiled solemnly, tracing a cross over her heart. Then she stood up and walked to Calhoun, slowly and wearily, he stood still as a statue. She cupped his face in cold hands, stroked his tear streaked cheeks with her thumbs as he stared into her eyes.

 

   He felt a stirring of regret. He had loved her, this strong, compassionate yet wily old trickster. Her powers and position made her seem cold but he knew the real her, and had loved her.

  

    Once upon a time he had thought they would be together, but she was a queen and he was not. He fought to get that place on the council but she barely noticed. And then he met Mary Ann, and everything changed. It was only after that he even realised she had loved him back.

 

   They had missed their chance, hadn't they?

 

   “I love you, my soldier,” she whispered, kissing him gently, she pulled away and smiled sorrowfully, “You mourn. I will wait, you know I will. Forever.”

 

   She turned quickly before he could respond and he watched as another fairy, one of the servants, stepped out of the shadows, moving towards Phoebe. Bran was standing now, his shoulders hunched with pain as he cradled the body, looking down at the face and memorising it.

 

   He would see those sly lips smile again, see her lovably mismatched eyes twinkle with mischief again. He would hear her laugh and wipe away her tears when, if, she cried. He vowed the next time he saw her she would be alive, her heart beating strongly in her chest.

 

    Reluctantly Bran gave her over to the servant, stroked her hair, and dragged his fingers away as his queen squeezed his arm, now more a friend than queen. “I will save her.”

 

   He nodded stonily and watched as the queen joined her servant, stroked the girl’s cold face and looked at the anguished father, her one and only love.

 

   Nothing was said and the three men watched as the queen disappeared in a sweet cold wind, bright icy blue lights swirled around on the magical breeze, caught the servant and flitted around the lifeless body.

 

   And then they were gone.

 

   “How?” Calhoun finally managed to ask, aiming the question at Bran, who now stood in the courtyard, blood on his hands, looking like a lost puppy. “How will she save my daughter?”

 

   “With magic, a lot like my cauldron, only mine was a copy of the original, which was why it did not work so well,” Bran rubbed his eyes and looked up at the moon, the despair on his face was painful to look at. “It is said to be the source of our race’s immortality, no one but the queen knows where it is. She told me once, when my sister died all those years ago, that to put someone in the heart of this… magic, would bring them back, restore their body and spirit, unharmed. I do not know what this magic looks like, if it is an object, or a place, but the queen does: she will save Evelyn.”

 

   “Is that even possible?” Richard cut in, trying to absorb all that he had just witnessed. He’d just seen the Fairy Queen. And he really doubted anyone could come back to life after being impaled with a sword.

 

   “Yes, if Éabha says it is, then it is, I chose not to bring my sister back, I wanted her to have a better life, but I suppose now I am being selfish. I want Evelyn back,” he opened his eyes, once hollow with misery there was now a spark of hope, somewhere in the depths of the blackness.

 

   “There’s a ‘but’, there always is with Éabha,” Calhoun stated in a hard voice, staring at the blood slick floor, at the dead body. Bran looked at the man sadly,

 

   “It could take years. It is a long process, the healing of the body is quick, but to find a soul, and then to mend it, could take even longer,” Bran looked at his hands, clenched his fists. It would still happen. He would wait.

 

   “Years,” Calhoun repeated in a dead voice. Would his daughter come back changed? He hoped not, but how could someone die, and not be changed?

 

   “Better than never,” Richard shrugged, then turned when James and Billy jogged towards him, Billy held out the broken pieces of Evelyn’s shotgun, whilst James held something slim in a wad of ripped cloth. It smelt of silver.

 

   “Her gun, and knife �" the house is peppered with lead, and there’s blood in the staircase, Were. I think Evelyn had a little fight and fought someone, killed by the blood on the knife,” he deftly lifted a corner of fabric to show the bloodied blade.

 

   “She always was good with a blade,” Calhoun said distantly, looking at the blade with respect. He was suddenly proud of his daughter, she had done well for herself, and had fought valiantly. He’d always said she was a fighter, a survivor. She would come back.

 

    “Unfortunately we found a dungeon, there’s blood in there. You think someone stabbed her before she faced off Saibh?” James asked, trying hard to keep the anger off his face. What a b***h to cheat and weaken Evelyn whilst she was locked up. “Was there another wound on her- hey, where’d she go? And where’s Bran?”

 

   The grieving soul mate with no mate had disappeared into the night.

 

  

 

Epilogue…

 

   In the heart of a cave the queen looked down at the lifeless, pale girl, lying in a stone coffin, swathed in silks and velvets, her hair brushed out around her like a halo. Evelyn’s hands were crossed over her chest, the backs of the hands each had swirls of black symbols tattooed across them.

 

   Éabha ran a finger over the girl’s pale cheek, let a tear fall over her own. This girl, the one she had chosen as her daughter, her heir, had sacrificed her own life to protect others. She would make a great queen.

 

    She only had to come back.

 

   The cave was large, the concave walls uneven with jagged black rocks, here and there burning torches hung from walls, casting a flickering orange glow and creating sinister shadows.

 

   It was deathly silent. Then an eerie whistle, tuneless but full of unspoken words, echoed through the cave, invisible hands played with Éabha’s hair and she shivered, looked up to the silver white pool of rippling water the covered the cave’s floor. Blue grass and red flowers grew along the edge and a cold white mist had begun to creep towards the ancient coffin.

 

   It was time.

 

   Éabha leant over the edge of the coffin and pressed a kiss to one cheek, then another, “May your spirit remain pure and come back unharmed, daughter of my heart.”

 

   She stood up, gathered her skirts and retreated up the uneven steps, watching as an invisible force hefted a huge stone lid up and slid it over the coffin, hiding Evelyn from sight. Symbols carved into the stone glowed blue with an ancient power and the white mist seeped around it, buffeting it, caressing it.

 

   There was a grating noise as the huge coffin was dragged towards the pool. The water was not even disturbed as the stone slid across the surface, floating unnaturally before it began to sink.

 

   Éabha was crying unashamedly by the time the stone had disappeared. The torches flickered, and then went out, snuffed by an invisible force, signalling her queue to leave.

 

   With a heavy heart and great reluctance the Queen turned her back on the Pool of Immortality, and the young lost girl.

 

Author's Note

Don't ask me what's going on with the font...