When my grandparents rushed into my bedroom to investigate the noise my entrance caused, they found me lying face down in my own vomit. I was too weak to explain to them my whereabouts over the last weeks or how I managed to make it home, but that didn’t stop them from trying to get it out of me. I didn’t blame them for their incessant questions. Since it was my intention to merely question Geo about Sybil and not go with him to meet her, I hadn’t told them where I was going or what I was about. I can only imagine the worry my disappearance caused them.
They were incredibly curious about where I’d been, but were also considerate -once they’d recovered from the shock of finding me face down in my own vomit on my bedroom floor- enough to recognize I wasn’t physically up to telling them. My grandfather lifted me from my pool of sick and lovingly carried me into the bathroom where my grandmother was already preparing a bath. Even in my weakened and foggy state, I was impressed by the strength he displayed. His daily training certainly paid off.
Once my grandfather left us alone, my grandmother helped me undress and guided me into the hot soothing water. She’d sprinkled essence of lavender into the bath and I couldn’t help remember the bath I’d shared with Geo. Her hands worked diligently to help me wash the vomit from my long golden brown locks. It seemed years since I relaxed in a luxurious bath without lust, fear, or trepidation accompanying it. I felt safe and nurtured.
Once she was certain I was clean, my grandmother helped me from the tub and wrapped me in a soft bath sheet before guiding me back to my room. My grandfather took the time to bring in a portable brazier to help against the night’s chill. I sat in a chair near it and allowed the heat to dry my long locks while my grandmother lovingly brushed them, while humming a lullaby she’d hummed to me over the years whenever I was upset.
My grandfather sat on the edge of my bed and watched the two most important females in his life, but said nothing. My eyes grew heavy and my head drooped. My grandfather pulled a thick flannel nightgown from my dresser drawer and gently pulled it over my head. He turned his back while my grandmother removed the bath sheet she’d secured around my chest and finished helping me into it. It felt soft and cozy.
When she announced I was ready, carried me to my bed. The two loving people who’d raised and nurtured me for ten years tucked me into the freshly made bed and kissed me goodnight as they had so many nights throughout my childhood. I smiled at them gratefully, rolled my body to face the wall, and fell into a deep sleep.
When I awoke, the sweet smell of my grandmother’s home made sausage and biscuits permeated the air. I sat up feeling refreshed and happy. I was home and amongst normal human beings who loved me unconditionally. The big test would be their reaction to the news that I was pregnant by a vampire. Although I dreaded telling them where I’d been and the trials I’d been through, I knew they’d be understanding. They had to be, because I needed them to be.
I slipped on my thick robe and slippers and made my way to the bathroom. My tireless grandmother had already cleaned up all signs of our bathing party just hours earlier. The woman was remarkable. I quickly performed my morning constitution. I made a point of wiping the sink dry and tidying up after myself before scooting off to the kitchen.
Grandfather was already at the table reading something on his tablet that he’d downloaded from the internet. Since this was his daily habit, I made no mention of it when I sat down opposite him. Instead, I reached for a piping hot biscuit and the honey butter placed next to it in the center of the table.
“I’m starving,” I said.
“You’ve developed an appetite?” my grandfather said nonchalantly.
“I guess I have,” I replied.
“Good,” he said. “You were too skinny.”
“Were?” I said with surprise.
“You’ve gained weight while you were … wherever you were,” my grandmother offered as she placed a large sausage link on my plate. “You look good, child.”
I chewed slowly on my food while I thought of the best way to approach the story I knew I had to tell. Silence filled the room to the point of uncomfortable while they waited to hear what it was I had to say. I finally decided to swallow my pride and tell them the truth exactly as it happened. I skipped over the parts where I seduced Geo, practically raped Luthias, and had a lesbian encounter with Abigail, but, otherwise, they heard it all as it happened. Of course, I left out the graphic details about my marriage consummation and just left it as he was rough and hurtful. They didn’t need to know just how sadistic a creature their daughter bartered me to was.
When they discovered the doctor who tended to my fake abortion and reinstatement of virginity status was my grandfather’s deceased brother, their brows were raised, but they didn’t seem surprised to hear he was a vampire. Once again I was discovering one of the many secrets they’d kept from me while growing up.
My grandmother agreed with Gwendoline that the baby I carried was Geo’s. She was familiar with the equipment Uncle Milton used and assured me they were not for the purpose of aborting. They were developed during the nuclear crisis to assist stressed females who were at risk of miscarrying in keeping the seed in their womb long enough for it to take hold and the embryo to take shape so the population of normal human beings could be replenished.
“Old Milt must think highly of this Geo fella to defy Sybil in such a way,” my grandfather said.
“He’s part of Geo’s people. Geo’s the king of Verso,” I offered. “Uncle Milton, Geo, and a few other Verso vampires infiltrated Sybil’s society while Luthias, Abigail and some other Verso vampires slipped into Charles’s kingdom. They were working on some plan to unite mutant vampires with the outside vampires to try to take Bartholomew down. Since the vampires want to annihilate the mutant-vampires, they came up with a plan to tie them together through me.”
“That’s a pretty ambitious task,” my grandfather mused.
“I really don’t know much about it. I only learned about it because I overheard them arguing with Geo about how he ruined their plans by stealing me away from Charles,” I said with remorse. “I caused so much trouble to so many. I should never have followed him that day.”
My grandmother wrapped her arms around me lovingly and whispered in my ear, “If you hadn’t then you may never have found true love, my sweet girl.”
Tears trickled down my cheek. I brushed them away quickly and said with as much bravado as I could muster, “I don’t deserve to be loved. I’m a wicked person. I’m no different than Sybil.”
“What?” my grandmother and my grandfather exclaimed simultaneously.
“We’ll hear no more of that, girl,” my grandfather bellowed.
“No, we certainly won’t,” my grandmother chimed. “You can’t help where your heart takes you. Do you think you’re the only person ever torn between two loves?”
“They wouldn’t love me if I hadn’t started it,” I said with a pout.
My grandfather’s laugh echoed off the walls.
“Oh the innocence of children,” he managed to say between peals of laughter. “My dear child, no one can make someone love them. They either love or they don’t love. It comes because it’s supposed to be.”
“They both told me the same thing,” I groaned.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Casey,” my grandmother said as she cleared the dishes from the table and placed them in the sink. “Rather than have this little pity party you seem to be wanting to wallow in, I think it wise we address your condition. Your vampire loves aren’t going anywhere. We have a baby to prepare for and, from what I understand, he’ll be coming soon.”
“He?” I said hesitantly. “You know it’s a he?”
“If you were merely carrying a magical child I’d know for certain, but the vampire genes are throwing me a little. Even so, I’m betting you have a son in your womb,” my grandmother explained.
“Gwendoline said our family has a magical lineage,” I said.
“We were going to tell you about that soon,” my grandfather explained. “You’ve been receiving training for that time all these years.”
“I suspected as much,” I said with a smile.
“You always were a bright girl,” he said as he returned my smile with genuine warmth.
“Well now,” my grandmother said as she stood looking at me with her hands on her hips. “It seems to me you’re back to normal enough to help out around here. I need to go out to the greenhouse to fetch some herbs to make a tonic to keep you and that baby healthy. Arthur needs to get started making some baby furniture. That leaves you to do the dishes young lady.”
I chuckled as I caught the apron she tossed my way. Nothing could have said how much they loved me better than to treat me as if nothing happened. It was their way of saying it would be alright.
I loved these people.
“I can do it with magic,” I called out playfully as they exited the room.
“Don’t you dare,” floated in from the direction my grandmother took.
I giggled like a school girl while I tied the apron around my waist. I couldn’t help notice my abdomen was distended a bit more than it was the day before. My son was growing quickly. Once I was done with the dishes I would go through my closet to see what clothes I could alter to fit my changing body.
Our kitchen sink rested below a large picture window that provided a panoramic view of the mountains in the distance. I was going over my wardrobe inventory in my mind while staring at the mountains when I caught movement in the distance. I strained my eyes to see better. Were they deceiving me? Was that Sybil making her way across the flats just as bold as you please? My heart bolted into my throat and I dropped a dish on the floor. The shattering brought my grandfather in post haste. I pointed out the reason for my anxiety and he hurried out to fetch my grandmother.
“We’ve been waiting for this day,” she said as she rushed into the room “We just didn’t think we’d have to defend a mother-to-be.”
“It does complicate things,” my grandfather mused aloud.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Stop before you start,” my grandmother snapped. “Now is not the time for that nonsense. We need to focus.”
“She’s taking her time,” my grandfather pointed out.
“Is she alone?” I asked.
“I doubt it,” my grandmother replied as she looked out the window at the shell of the daughter she once knew. “She’s probably moving so slowly to keep our attention while her goons surround us. Good thinking, child.”
My mouth dropped when I saw her raise her hands above her head and spread her legs in typical witch fashion. Without hesitation she spoke with authority, “Draíocht mo shinsir Iarraim ye amach. Teach seo nacht ó dheas ó thuaidh. Õ soir go siar sciath go léir, a ligean ar na daoine a iarracht a shárú sé ag teacht.”
“You cast a shield around us,” I said with wonder.
“That I did,” my grandmother said.
“Unfortunately, Sybil was a good study and will find a way to remove it soon; just like she did the original one I cast.”
“Let’s go,” my grandfather said as he pulled the table to the side of the room, lifted the small round rug that rested beneath it to the side, and pulled on a ring attached to a trap door in the floor.
“I’m not dressed,” was all I could manage to say as I followed my grandparents into the root cellar below the house.
“We’ll worry about that later,” my grandmother snapped.
I could feel my face burning from the embarrassment of my foolish words. What a silly thing to worry about when running from an evil mutant-vampire.
Things started happening really fast after that. My grandfather methodically handed me the bow and arrows I used while hunting with him over the years. Almost without thinking I filled two quivers with as many arrows as I could and then slung one over each shoulder. Even though adrenaline was surging through my veins, I stood patiently while I watched my grandparents follow suit. Expecting we’d barge up the stone steps that led to the outside and storm our attackers with an onslaught of arrows, I was surprised when my grandfather pulled a cupboard full of my grandmother’s canned goods away from the wall. There was a door behind it. He pushed the door open and beckoned us to follow. My grandmother nudged me in the small of my back and I moved quickly into the passage behind my grandfather. Unlike the other passages I traveled through over the last few weeks, this one was roomy and well lit. I turned to in time to see my grandmother grab a thick strap that was attached to the cupboard and pull it effortlessly back to the wall. It was then I realized the cupboard was on casters. She quickly pushed the door shut and bolted it before silently motioning me to follow my grandfather.
We walked at a quiet, methodical, and determined pace. It was the same gait I’d been trained to use while traveling the countryside hunting for food or for photos. Although much slower than the pace I kept with my vampire companions, we still traveled at a good speed, but this one didn’t leave me breathless.
From the distance we traveled I guessed the tunnel was taking us to the mountains. When my grandfather held up his hand for us to stop and pressed against a panel in the wall to expose the world outside, I soon learned I was right. Even in the midst of our perilous escape, I couldn’t help being amazed at the incredible resourcefulness of my grandparents. Nor could I escape a tiny pang of sorrow over their belief they needed to keep so many secrets from me. Of course, my running off with Geo certainly proved them right in the emotional maturity department. I couldn’t deny the fact that, had I known about the tunnel prior to my crash course in reality, I would have probably acted the foolish child and used the tunnel to sneak out on more than one occasion. My grandparents knew me well. Probably better than I knew myself.
I hadn’t realized how stale and stifling the air in the passage was until I filled my lungs with fresh mountain air. We came out close to the oasis where I first met up with Geo and agreed to go with him. My heart fluttered with each step I took as we drew closer to it.
My grandfather slid an arrow from his quiver with lightning speed, positioned it in his bow, and released it. It all happened so fast I was hard pressed to follow the process. Thinking he spotted and shot one of Sybil’s mutants, I was horrified when I caught sight of Gwendoline and Luthias standing over Geo’s motionless body.
I grabbed his arm just as he was preparing to load another arrow.
“No, stop!” I gasped. “You just shot Geo. They aren’t the enemy. Please stop.”
My plea quickly sunk into his level head and he lowered his bow.
“I didn’t know,” he said apologetically.
I raced toward the trio. I was moving with such momentum that, when I fell to my knees a few feet from Geo, I slid until I reached his out stretched body.
“Geo!” I exclaimed a little louder than was advisable.
“Hush lass,” Gwendoline hissed. “He’ll be fine. The arrow took him by surprise and knocked him out is all. He’ll be back up in a heartbeat.”
She’d barely finished scolding me for my thoughtless bellowing and assuring me Geo would be fine when he raised himself on his elbow.
“Did you miss me, my love?” he asked with a boyish grin.
I slapped his chest while I made a few mock remarks about how irritating he could be and then stood up to introduce everyone to my grandparents. Although they were gracious with their acceptance of my vampire friends, I was surprised by their reaction to Gwendoline. Neither stepped forward to offer their hand in greeting to the sweet centuries old woman who I realized occupied a space in my heart equal to that of my grandparents. It hurt me deeply to see her hand hanging in mid-air while she waited for someone to accept it as they had her sons.
“Grandmother,” I hissed.
She shook her head as if to clear it and apologized profusely for her rudeness as she accepted Gwendoline hand in greeting.
“‘Tis about time ye came out of hiding, Millie, my dear old friend,” Gwendoline said gently before pulling my grandmother into a warm embrace. She looked at my grandfather and asked, “How have ye been, Arthur?”
“Just fine, Gwen,” he said with a warm smile. “Ye are a sight for these old eyes.”
I don’t know which shocked me more, the fact that my grandparent’s clearly knew Gwendoline or the shift in my grandfather’s speech pattern.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “Am I missing something?”
Geo, Luthias, and I looked on as the three old friends slapped each other on the back and hugged in a warm reunion. As I looked from vampire to vampire, I could see that they were just as confused as I was.
Gwendoline finally took pity on us and said, “Ye already know the magic can make ye live on for centuries. These old buzzards aren’t the young chicks they make themselves out to be. They’re as old as these hills and then some.”
“Go away with ye,” my grandmother scoffed. “I’m still younger than you’ll ever be.”
“By mere months my dear... mere months,” Gwendoline said with amusement.
“By the gods, are we going to have this conversation again? ‘Tis as if no time’s passed at all,” my grandfather complained light heartedly.
“Aye,” Gwendoline agreed. “We should probably focus on the task at hand.”
“I agree,” came a voice from within the trees.
We all turned simultaneously to discover Sybil walking boldly toward us. To my dismay and surprise, she’d managed to cast some sort of netting that formed a cocoon around the bodies of Gwendoline and my grandparents. Only their eyes and nose were exposed.
“We can’t have you old timers weaving any spells to prevent me from being reunited with my daughter now, can we?” she said with a sickening sweetness. Her eyes darkened to display her anger when she set eyes on me. “Hello daughter. You’ve been a great inconvenience and embarrassment to your mother. Not only did you shame me, but you put me in a position of having to bow down to a vampire king who I’d much prefer slaughtering.”
She turned to Geo. “I’m so glad to see you’re alive and well, dear Geo. I have such plans for your magic at my side. Naughty vampire, hiding it from me like you did.”
Geo stood up. He pulled my grandfather’s arrow from his chest and tossed it boldly in her direction. It was if he was silently challenging her.
“Perhaps one day we’ll get to see your true value as a warrior,” she cooed as she raised her hands and shot an energy net around Geo, Luthias, and me. “I’m fully aware you’ve been holding back in order to hide your true identity, my lord.”
I heard a low growl rumble in Geo’s throat as he tried to step toward Sybil. The only thing she’d left free to move was our heads. Had the situation not been so grave, I would have thought the scene a comical sight.
“So, this is your faithful side-kick,” she sneered as she moved toward Luthias. “It’s unfortunate his magic isn’t as strong as yours. Then, he had only one magical parent instead of two.” She heaved a dramatic sigh, “It makes a difference you know. Look at me. My parents waited... hmm... how long mommy? Oh yes, centuries, to have me. But, it was worth it. You see, the older you get, the stronger your magic becomes. By the time these old coots sired me, they had more magic for me to absorb than one can possibly imagine. Do you know the best part?” She looked me straight in the eye as she continued with her evil taunting, “They were so busy raising my brat that they never noticed the spell I cast to siphon their magic into me. It’s why I’m so powerful.”
“Sybil,” my grandmother moaned. Although her speech was muffled from the web, we could clearly hear the words. “Daughter.”
“Don’t worry mother. It was mostly father’s magic I siphoned. I figured he was too busy hunting and training to miss it,” she explained vehemently. “He was always too busy. Weren’t you, papa?”
She returned her attention to Luthias.
“Prince Vogel will be arriving shortly, so our little reunion will have to wait. I have plans for Geo that don’t include allowing the prince to rip his heart from his chest as he so dearly longs to do,” she said while still inspecting Luthias. “As for you, my handsome vampire. It would be a waste to see you lose that gorgeous head of yours. I think you’d make a fine addition to my mutant family.”
I could see Luthias’s muscles straining against the spell as Sybil opened her mouth to bite him. His eyes were wide with loathing as he spat insults about what he thought of her turning him mutant while he continued to struggle against her spell.
“If you don’t stop thrashing your head like that I’ll have to paralyze you completely,” Sybil said impatiently. “I need to bite you in the jugular if you’re to retain your intelligence after you’ve mutated. We wouldn’t want me to miss my mark now, would we?”
She was like a cat playing with its food. We all knew she could have easily bitten Luthias. The theatrics were purely for her enjoyment. As if her teasing and taunting weren’t enough, she added to the mix by insisting he was too tall for her to comfortably reach the spot she needed to bite. So, she proceeded to find a log to place in front of him to stand on.
By the time she’d completed her dramatic show, my blood was boiling to the point I felt as if I would scald anyone who touched my flesh. Energy was building up in me to the point my bones were trembling. I could stand no more.
“You leave him alone, you evil, evil bitch,” I screamed as Sybil opened her mouth wide and bared her gruesome fangs.
My outburst shocked Sybil enough to stop her in her tracks.
“Why daughter,” she said with surprised amusement. “Is that any way to speak to your mother?”
“My mother died ten years ago,” I spat. “You’re nothing but a monster in her shell.”
“Casey!” my grandmother managed to project from the confines of her webbed cocoon. “Don’t antagonize her.”
“Wise advice, mother dear,” Sybil said with a sneer.
“I’d like to do more than antagonize!” I bellowed.
“We can discuss this after I’ve tended to turning this handsome vampire into one of my mutants,” she said as she turned her attention back to Luthias.
“You won’t touch him!” I roared.
I can’t say I actually know what happened, but, without warning, I was free from the spell that held me motionless and I was on the attack. I flung my body at Sybil; knocking her off the log. I felt a searing pain in my abdomen when her weight landed on me as we slammed to the ground, but I ignored it as I leapt to my feet and kicked her square in the jaw. Although I was hot in the fury of the moment, a tiny piece of me took the time to mentally thank my grandfather for those years of self-defense lessons.
“You little bitch,” Sybil roared as she scrambled to her feet and rushed toward me.
The air left my lungs swiftly as she tackled me to the ground. It was clear she was trying to bite me in the same spot she’d targeted on Luthias.
“You’ll never turn me into one of your monsters,” I gasped as I struggled to hold her at bay.
“Would you rather die?” she growled.
She’d managed to pin me to the ground in such a way that a passerby might think they’d stumbled upon a wrestling match. Something in the finality of her last remark brought a surge of energy forth from deep within me.
“No, would you?” I roared as I whipped my body out from under her with lighting speed and jammed my fist into her unsuspecting chest.
Once again I felt the soft, squishiness of a beating heart in my grasp. I closed my eyes to prevent my seeing the look of shock and horror on the face that once belonged to a mother I held dear as I pulled with all my might. The loud sucking noise as my fist left her chest cavity echoed off the trees as I tossed the heart as far as I could manage in my exhausted state.
Silence permeated our surroundings as the cocoons that entrapped Gwendoline and my grandparents disappeared; as did the energy bands around Geo and Luthias. I looked wearily at Luthias and then Geo. Neither one moved. I saw no bands; so why didn’t they move? Was there more to the spell than I realized. Had the spell not left them with Sybil’s death?
“You saved me,” Luthias finally said in a voice just above a whisper.
“I guess I did,” I replied just before the world went black.