Generation 2 is coming close to wrapping up which means it's that time again! Who shall lead the Dust family in this new generation?
Will it be Lazuli Dust?
Lazuli, or Zuli to most, is a firey young lady who is harboring a pretty big chip on her shoulder in regards to her mother. Can she forgive Violet for abandoning them so long ago or will the gap just grow bigger between mother and daughter?
Current life stage: Child
Traits: absent minded, virtuoso, friendly
Or will it be Cobalt Dust?
Unlike his twin sister, Cobalt isn't particularly angry with his mom right now. He's got a pretty forgiving nature. He's unerringly loyal to Lazuli though and feels it's his responsibility as her brother to protect her - not that she'd ask for his protection or admit to needing it ever.
Current life stage: Child
Traits: brave, hates the outdoors, artistic
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Have camera, will travel!
Lazuli, Lotus, Cobalt, Turq
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You can vote in comments or on the poll to the right. Thanks!
Generation 2, Chapter 8
Lazuli's Point of View
"I don't know Zuli..." Cobalt was looking rather queasy as we walked home from school that afternoon. I'd been telling him, in all the glorious details, about the upcoming frog dissections in biology. Any minute now he was going to throw up his lunch in the neighbor's bushes.
I shifted uncomfortably under the uniform sweater and thought longingly of my t-shirts at home. "I swear Cobalt! Next week Mr. Tangerine said we'd be pairing up and then he showed us all these slides! It was ghastly...and yet...not." I grinned. Cobalt was a brave kid - went along with just about everything I tried out of some twisted brotherly affection - but he had a weak stomach.
Lotus and Turq were already sitting on our front steps by the time we got home. They said they knew a shortcut and Turq and I made a bet about who would get home first. Of course given that Lotus was still trying to catch his breath, it's possible they ran the entire way. The four of us went inside and settled around the dining room table to do our homework.
The four of us went everywhere together and did everything together. Grandma had tried to get me involved in a girl's club of some sort a few months ago but I refused to go because the boys weren't "allowed". Besides, all the girls did was gossip and makeovers! No. Thank. You. So instead I joined the Berry Scouts. I was the only girl in Sugar Valley to EVER join the troop but after I showed up just about every boy in troop, they couldn't really refuse me. Cobalt joined with me - though I know he hated it. He wasn't really the outdoorsy type - Grandma says he takes after Mom in that respect. I wouldn't know seeing as she ditched us when we were babies.
After all the homework was done, we ran out into the yard to play until Grandma called us for dinner. "Okay Zuli - you lost the bet...time to pay up!" Turq said with a smirk.
Lotus and Cobalt both groaned but I shrugged. "Doorbell ditch?" I asked, practically reading his mind.
Turq nodded, "Doorbell ditch!" He scanned our neighbors' windows and houses until he picked the one place even I had never pranked. "Wonder if the ole colonel is in tonight? Only one way to find out!" And he took off toward old Colonel Frost's house.
Colonel Frost was probably the most cankerous men in all of Sweetland. He was retired military but had never really given up the regime and lifestyle. He was fastidious about his yard in particular and was known to turn the hose on kids who strayed just a bit too close to his finely tailored grass.
"This is a bad idea" Lotus whispered. They could have watched from the safety of our own yard but Cobalt, ever the loyal brother, had dragged Lotus along and Turq was always up for a bit of trouble.
Without a word to them, I started up the walkway, trying to stay out of the door's line of sight. Of course the Colonel had large glass doors so that was pretty much impossible without walking in the yard. The yard that was very likely wired with some sort of alarm...or explosive. The closer I got, the more I had to agree with Lotus. But ya know, I was a bit stubborn - a trait my Grandma also attributed to my mother - and refused to let Turq see me back down from a challenge. The stairs creaked under my weight and my breath caught with each movement I made.
There was no way to hide from the light spilling out of the glass door so I just had to hope the Colonel wasn't looking this way at this particular moment...he would be soon enough though. With a quick gulp of air, I pressed down the doorbell and flew off the porch, bypassing the creaking stairs completely. The boys were already on the run as I hit the sidewalk and I couldn't blame them.
I heard the door squeal open just as I turned around to the side of the yard. He could still see me if he stepped only a touch out of his house. Ignoring the cramp in my calf, I ran faster, hoping beyond hope that he looked the other way first...
The boys were panting on the steps as I ran up to them. Turq let out a whoop and Lotus rolled his eyes. Cobalt chuckled and patted the spot beside him on the steps so I could catch my own breath.
"So...think he saw you?" Turq asked, leaning back against the railing casually.
"Not sure, didn't stop to look back." I said.
"Good thing too, he may have set the dogs on ya." Lotus said a little grumpily. If anyone were ever going to leave our little group it would be Lotus. I think he only hung around because of Cobalt.
"Well I think you're King of the Doorbell Ditch!" Cobalt said with a laugh.
"King?! She's a GIRL!" Lotus was exasperated.
"Maybe so, but I could still beat you - any time." I grinned at him but he didn't return my smile. After a moment of silence we all went inside where dinner was waiting for us.
"And who is the King of tonight's feast?" Grandma asked once we'd all finished our plates. All their eyes turned toward me and I grinned. As "King of the feast", I was exempt from cleaning up the night's dishes - a tradition that seemed to have started before I could even remember. After everything was cleaned up, it was time to preside over my court, so to speak. Grandma and Grandpa were happy to get in on the act as we paraded around the house and climbed on the dining room furniture.
"Just be careful..." Grandma always cautioned us. "I think the four of you are getting a little too old to be climbing on the table though..."
"Ahh Grandma..."
"No no, she's right...you can preside over court from the ground." Grandpa chimed in, helping us climb down.
On the whole, she was the best Grandma ever. She was always up before dawn working in her garden so she had breakfast waiting for us when we woke up. I don't think she would have stood for us going to school without breakfast. "It's the most important meal of the day" she informed me as she placed a plate of french toast in front of me.
And as long as our homework was done and we came back for supper - she and Grandpa trusted us not to get into trouble...well not MUCH trouble at any rate. Perhaps their trust was a little foolish given the circumstances.
We spent a lot of the afternoons alternating between Peppermint Pier and the park. By we I mean Lotus, Turq, Cobalt and I of course. Despite his often sour attitude and growing need to remind the world that I was, in fact, a girl - Lotus was usually an okay person to hang around with. On his happier days he could come up with the best games.
It was near dark and I was in the middle of a high flying contest with Turq when the idea struck me. Once I was relatively certain I wouldn't break my leg, I let go of the swing and land in a small plume of sand. "I have an idea!" I said triumphantly.
Lotus shook his head and groaned but I could see the corners of his mouth twitch up a bit. Cobalt sighed "That can't be good for us."
"I'm in." Turq said, landing beside me with ease. I was a little sad I'd missed seeing his dismount but brushed it aside.
"You don't even know what it is." I pointed out.
He just shrugged. "Don't care. I'm always in." he said with a smirk.
"Good! Let's go!" I was off and running without explaining, leaving the others to decide if they wanted to follow along or not. Thankfully they all did!
"Suppose you tell us why we're standing outside the school now." Lotus said, his good mood seemed to be fading by the second.
"The frogs! We're gonna release the frogs!" I said proudly.
"Why?"
"Because we can...and they're gonna get dissected tomorrow so we'd be saving their little frog lives..."
"I thought you wanted to do the dissection?" Cobalt pointed out.
"Well I do...but I also wanna see Principal Sunshine's face when a frog jumps out at her." I replied with a giggle.
"Okay then, let's go!" Turq was always my biggest supporter in these adventures and Cobalt was my brother so I had my back up.
Getting into the school was surprisingly easy. Nothing was locked up except the offices really so we just had to avoid the cleaning crew. Thankfully a little recon revealed that they were busy in the new wing at the moment so we were good to go.
"On of these days I'm going to regret following you Zuli." Cobalt said with a laugh. He then popped open the top of the tank while I climbed up on a chair and started scooping the slimy critters out.
"Maybe...but not today!"
"You're assuming the cleaning crew won't get them all overnight ya know." he said, raining on my gleeful imagination.
"Point...we'll have to do something to make sure they don't...." After scooping them all out into a plastic bucket we'd borrowed from one of the cleaning closets, we deliberated on where best to let them loose.
"Library." Lotus said with a mischievous smile. "They librarian is one of the last to arrive but they clean it first since it doesn't need much usually. By the time it's opened, half the school will probably be here...it'll be chaos!"
"Perfect!" And so we set the plan in motion and then made a run for it!
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For the first time in years, Lotus and Turq had been sent away by Grandpa. He didn't really offer an explanation, "Just not today kids. Maybe tomorrow will be another day." He looked a little tired as he said it and disappeared upstairs.
Without them, homework was done and Cobalt and I were just plain bored. There was nothing on TV and every suggestion I made was shot down. "I'm going to go do...something." I said standing up and looking around the living room helplessly.
"What?"
"Don't know...but something. You can sit there and sulk..." I hurried away, sure he'd follow but for once...he didn't. It took awhile before I settled on something to do and then it took even more time to rig the sink. I was sure I'd be interrupted by Grandma coming in to make dinner at any moment but by the time it was all done, she was nowhere in sight. I returned to the living room to wait; Cobalt kept looking at me curiously but I offered nothing. To my surprise, Grandpa was the one to come down to make dinner though...but he'd work just as well. I grabbed Cobalt by the wrist and dragged him behind me, shushing him all the way.
We had to wait while Grandpa pulled out a number of things to cook and kept ducking out of sight but then the moment came when he moved to wash the vegetables...
Cobalt's eyes were wide and then we both started giggling as Grandpa sputtered in the water and attempted to shut it off.
When the water finally stopped spraying Cobalt grabbed me and yanked me away from the archway just as Grandpa turned around and would have seen us.
Of course we didn't consider the fact that he may have HEARD us. A few shouts later and we could hear the click of his cane on the fine wood flooring. "Cobalt! Lazuli!"
I grimaced but stood with Cobalt and looked up at Grandpa. "Yes?" And then he yelled at us in a way he'd never once yelled at us before. "I want you to tell me which one of you did this!"
We both stayed silent. I started to speak up but Cobalt shot me a look - I'm not sure if he wanted me to stay silent or if he was thinking I'd pin it on him but I shut my mouth and hung me head.
Dinner was downgraded to sandwiches and we were sent to clean up the puddles of water while he made them. "You could have just told him it was me..." I said quietly.
"No I couldn't." he said, fiddling with the mop again. "I'm your brother - we have to stick together." I would have hugged him if he weren't all wet and soapy.
After serving us our unglorious dinner of sandwiches, Grandpa slowly went upstairs, his shoulders slumped. Once again I noticed how tired he seemed. "Cobalt..."
"I don't know Zuli." he said, his eyes trained on Grandpa's retreating form as well. "I haven't seen Grandma all day either..."
I frowned and worried about them. It was no secret that our grandparents were far from young but it was hard to see them this way. And where was Grandma?
Neither of our grandparents came down for the rest of the night. Cobalt and I passed the time in silence, fearing what may be going on upstairs and trying to distract ourselves with the television. I think we were both too afraid to speculate out loud - as if speaking about it would give it more power.
I was barely paying attention to the commercials and in my own world of thought when Cobalt jumped out of his chair and started pointing frantically at the TV. "Hey look! It's Mom!" he was grinning from ear to ear as Mom's zombie movie commercial played. "So coooool!"
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Violet's Point of View
"Drive damnit!" I shouted as my costar landed in the back of the fake pick up truck. Mirage was at the wheel and I was loading the gun for another round. The truck roared and rumbled beneath me and I was hard pressed not to grin - I was supposed to be fleeing from zombies after all.
The zombies in question were expertly made up by a highly paid staff of artists. I don't think they could look more like zombies - ya know if zombies were real and all that. Apple and Cello were two of the "regular" zombies in the movie who seemed to have a personal mission to kill us. I don't think that was in the script exactly but we crossed paths...a lot. And then there was Jade who, I had the great pleasure in taking out in this particular scene. I had nothing against him of course...I just pretended he was Mirage and it made the whole thing so much better.
"Okay....and cut! Brilliant everyone! Let's take ten before we start the night shots..." the director called. Suddenly the zombies righted themselves and stopped groaning. They smiled and chattered as they made their way to the little catering table to grab a bite...of food, not brains obviously.
I climbed out of the truck as Mirage helped Rose out from the other side. I did my best to avoid contact with him between shots but that was pretty much impossible.
"Do you think we'll be here longer than another hour or two?" Apple asked, pulling out her phone to check the time.
"Why, hot date?" Jade teased.
Apple chuckled. "Hardly. I'd just like to de-zombiefy before I tuck my kids in tonight and it takes forever to get all this stuff off."
"You've got kids?" I asked. "How many?"
"Three - all girls." She said with a proud mommy smile. I smiled weakly at her and looked away. I probably shouldn't have spoken up at all.
"What about you Violet? You have kids?" Mirage asked, with a cocky smile on his face. Berryhole.
"Shut up Mirage," I said simply, starting to get up and head for the catering table.
"Come on Vi..." he goaded.
"I said shut up!" I whirled toward him, unfortunately this wasn't the first time we'd ended up fighting on set, nor would it be the last.
Filming could not end soon enough for my tastes. Working with Mirage - despite the opportunities I had within the script to put him in his place - was not something I wanted to ever do again.
We'd been wrapped for almost a year when the premiere finally took place. As most of it was filmed in or around Torea Bay, there was a special premiere here first.
Every second of the red carpet was specially scripted - almost more so than the movie. Mirage, Rose and I were not allowed to arrive until our allotted time so they could have all the reporters and photographers ready and draw the whole spectacle out.
Of course Mirage and Rose had become an item during the last few months so it threw a monkey wrench into their schedule. Rose absolutely refused to arrive separately from her boyfriend so the two of them arrived together in what might be considered the "peak" time.
Unfortunately Jade's driver wasn't paying much attention to the time so he and I ended up arriving at nearly the same time and every seemed to assume we were there together.
After the flashes died down, I was yanked away from Jade by someone and pushed toward where Mirage and Rose were standing for a group picture. Rose pouted and then stomped away in a huff when all the agents and managers insisted that they NEEDED a picture with the three of us. Which left me standing with Mirage...fabulous.
Thankfully, after that we were ushered into the theater and I was allowed to put three would-be zombies between me and them.
A few days after the premiere, the news broke that Mirage and Rose had broken up. This news was quickly followed by Rose being found dead in her own swimming pool. There was no foul play involved but I couldn't help but feed my hatred of Mirage.
So when he called me just a day after her death, I was mostly inclined to hang up on him but Autumn suggested - re: the TOLD me - to answer the damn phone. "Can we talk?" he sounded broken even over the phone and my heart softened a fraction. "Please Vi..."
"Fine..." Which is how I found myself standing in a bar, drinking with Mirage as he talked constantly about Rose and himself.
"I think I'm a berryhole..." he said after three or four toxic green drinks.
"I could have told you that." I said, trying to hold back a burp.
"You have told me that." he pointed out with a sloppy grin.
"So I have." I could feel my head buzzing and shoved the drink in front of me away. Last thing I needed was to fall to pieces with Mirage as my only company. THAT could only end badly.
"Let's dance!" he slapped his hand down on mine and yanked me from the barstool.
"Violet! I think you'll wanna get down from th-there..." Mirage called up at me. Yes, up. I was dancing on the counter.
"I think you're very bad for me Mirage." I shouted back, still dancing awkwardly.
"Yeah well, I think I'm bad for everyone...Toxic really." he said. "Come on down now...please?"
"Would you catch me if I fell?" I asked with a giggle. I could just imagine Mirage as the white knight...then his armor changed to black and it made more sense.
"Probably not..." Mirage confessed.
"Nice...very nice." I muttered.
One wrong step...that's all it takes for your world to come crashing down around you.
Again.
My eyes fluttered open to complete darkness. I fumbled around in the dark for a light and after knocking over a book of some sort and an alarm clock, I found it and flipped the switch. That was a bad idea!
My head pounded under the harsh onslaught of the light and I started to reach back for it to turn it off. My hand stilled as I took in the now illuminated room. This was not my apartment...I quickly surmised that it was a hotel room of some sort and groaned. "Not good." I whispered.
I tossed back the covers only to find things were even worse than I thought. What had happened?!
My clothes from the night before were strewn over the chair and the other side of the bed was empty. As my head began to clear, I recognized the sound of water running in the shower. "I didn't do this again" I told myself. I had to believe that what I was afraid had happened...well hadn't.
I stumbled from the bed and pulled on my clothes quickly. If I was fast I could just leave before he came out of the shower. I didn't need to see his face right now or I might kill him on my way out the door.
I had the door swung open when I heard the shower cut off and the bathroom door opening. "Violet wait!" he said.
End Chapter
Just wanted to share!
Generation 8, Chapter 5
After his aunt disappeared into the house, I looked over at Jared. "Dinner?" I asked. They hadn't eaten anything that I'd seen. The realization that they may have been eating something - or someone - out of my sight hit me then. "Jared....what's for dinner?"
Jared shrugged and laced his fingers in mine as if we'd been doing it forever. I looked down at our interlaced hands for a moment and then let him lead me inside the house. "We dress for dinner here Luna..." he said as he looked over the delicately set dining room table. "There is probably something laid out for you in your room."
He was right, of course. When I returned to my room there was a long black dressed laid out on the bed with a pair of slip on shoes set beside it. It had a few pink accent they could have been dyed to match my hair and it was exactly the right size. "Creepy." I muttered but I changed anyway. As I slipped on the shoes I heard a long bell toll from somewhere. I could only assume that was the summons to dinner.
The first course involved prawns and what I sincerely hoped was cocktail sauce. Thankfully my own dish was but the dish of the other three vampires looked a little too thick and dark for my tastes. Jared may have seen me cringe as he was smiling down at his plate.
I noticed that the other vampires didn't seem to be eating their prawns so much as using them as a spoon of sorts. Odd. Why didn't they just pour the blood into a goblet and drink it that way?
"Because that would be uncouth Ms. Taffity." Robert Van Allen said in response to my unspoken thoughts.
"And dipping into your guest's head is not...uncouth?" I countered before giving it much thought. Across from me Jared was attempting not to smile but I got the impression he was amused, or impressed, or both.
Robert gave me a look that would wither most people but I was either too brazen or too foolish to respond to it. Personally I'm thinking I was a fool who let her mouth run away with her. "Perhaps you're right. And perhaps you should check your thoughts around other vampires."
"Honestly, wherever did you go to primary? They ought to have taught you to shield your thoughts." Jared's aunt chimed in. Her name was Annaliese, I'd learned that much anyway.
I was still trying to understand her question when Robert Van Allen spoke for me, "Ms. Taffity has not had any vampire education Annaliese. Her father is Adam Stewart - you remember? The King? He's lived somewhat - off the grid you might say."
I stared at Robert, my eyes wide with shock, and he tapped his head and smiled at me. It wasn't a nice or comforting smile in the least. "How very...odd." Annaliese said before returning to her dinner.
"Yes, well the Taffity family has gone missing and Ms. Luna here has set out to find her parents and her younger siblings - triplets. Of course, since learning of her fate, I've dedicated my own resources to finding them so that she is no longer in danger." Robert continued.
"Triplets? Triplet born vampires?" Annaliese was looking at me with a critical eye - more critical than she had been to this point anyway. "Fascinating."
I wanted to ask them a dozen questions about what he was doing to find my family, about Derik, about what was so fascinating about the triplets - but the dinner table fell silent then and Jared shook his head. After dinner, we all retired to the parlor and continued in silence for a time.
With very little warning or production, Annaliese sat beside me and I could feel her eyes on me as I tried to read. At last I gave in and closed the book, turning toward. "Is something the matter?"
"Are your siblings brothers or sisters?" she asked.
"Well I have human brothers..." I started but she waved them off. "You mean the triplets? They're all girls."
"Fascinating." she said again.
"I must ask, what is so fascinating about it?" I said softly.
"Come, take a walk with me." she said, placing her cold hand on my bare arm. Unlike Robert Van Allen, who I found sinister and certainly untrustworthy, I felt compelled to not only trust Annaliese but to like her.
Robert seemed to go on alert as we stood up together and stepped toward us but Annaliese waved him off. "Just getting to know your guest a bit Robert." she said. Her words didn't seem to comfort him though. "Oh come now Robert, stop being ridiculous. I wouldn't deprive you of my glorious company for too long." she wrapped her arm around my waist protectively as we passed him into the hallway.
I started to speak but she shook her head and continued walking toward the front door of the house. We walked a fair ways around the estate before she spoke up. "Though I can't be sure of his motives, I imagine Robert would prefer to keep you as much in the dark about vampire affairs as possible but knowledge is power Luna - you must know that yes?"
"Um, sure." I said helplessly.
"The birth rate for born vampires is almost nil now. Even if a couple is able to conceive, in most cases the baby dies or the mother dies. That's how my dear sister, Jared's mother, died. So the fact that your mother had not one, but four, healthy vampire children is astronomical." I could only nod along as she laid out all this information. "Be careful Luna - there is a lot about vampires you don't know and I can't explain everything now or he'll come out looking for us." She looped her arm in mine then and started walking back toward the house. Why had she told me all that? How could knowing that protect me from whatever Robert's motives might be anyway?
Robert looked ready to pounce when we returned to the parlor but I kept my mind as empty as possible, trying not to think about anything. I had to learn how to shield! I looked around for something I could focus on. "What a lovely piano." I said, though I knew very little about them. I'd taken a few lessons at the insistence of my mom but had never had the dedication to practice.
"It is. Do you play?" Robert asked.
"Not so well as you." I said referring to the first time I'd met him at the same piano.
"Yes well, I've had a thousand years to practice my dear. Do play us a song." he said motioning toward the piano.
"No, I think that would be bad for all of us. I am not afflicted with false modest I assure you. I've not had a lesson in years." I objected even as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and steered me toward the instrument.
"I insist, just one song." he said, pushing me down onto the piano bench and leaning over my shoulder to select a piece of music. His face was inches from me and I tried not to think or shudder.
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The awkward dinner and evening in the parlor was just the figurative dash of cold water I needed to get my mind off of Jared. He was tasty - in more ways than one - to be sure but I had to keep myself focused on finding my family! And Derik...where was he? Was he alright or had he become some vampire's snack?
Of course as much as I tried to avoid him, it wasn't as if there were infinite places to hide in this house. Besides I was summoned to dinner nearly every night now as Annaliese came around constantly it seemed. I got the impression she was trying to keep an eye on me but maybe that was wishful thinking.
Once in awhile Jared would catch me alone in the hall and try to pick up where we'd left off in the conservatory.
"Jared please..." I said trying to push away from him gently. "I have a boyfriend remember..."
"The human." he said, his eyes darkening with the same contempt I often saw in Robert's eyes.
"Yes, his name is Derik. He was with me the night I was brought here...do you know where he is?" I asked - for the dozenth time I'm sure.
Jared growled - actually growled - at me and then clasped my head between his hands. I tried to pull away but he held fast and I turned, sure he was going to try to kiss me but he didn't. Soon I saw his thoughts in my mind as clear as if I'd been there. For the first time I was one hundred percent sure he didn't know who or where Derik was.
I knew something else as well; he was sure that the change would kill him - as it did most born vampires. Wait! Did that mean...?
Before I could finish my thought or put a voice to the fear tumbling around in my mind, he sulked away and slammed his bedroom door.
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While Robert claimed to be trying to find my family, I felt even more sure that it was time to take my leave of the Van Allens. Only problem was how. The windows in my room and every room I had access to were locked or barred shut and I wasn't sure even I could get over the fence. And even if I did where would I go?
With a sign, I plopped down on the floor to sulk. After my brief foray into Jared's mind I couldn't help buy be curious about this vampire telepathy though, maybe if I tried hard enough - really focused - I could break down someone's shield or if my family was nearby I might even be able to sense them. Oh sure I know it sounded ridiculous from the completely uneducated vampire that I am but I had to do something!
I closed my eyes and started to tune out the world around me, casting my line out for other vampires. I could sense Jared - and could even tell that he was sullen but could not make out clear thoughts. Somewhere in the house was Robert and soon I felt the presence of Annaliese as well - must be near dark. I pictured myself moving beyond them and, to my surprise, it worked! Their mental signature - as it were - faded as I moved out, seeking someone else.
There seemed to be a lot of vampires in the area..not that I knew exactly what area that was. I was unable to sense human minds and wondered how that was exactly. Maybe it would seem like far fewer vampires if there were humans mixed in. Nearly exhausted I caught an image of someone familiar - one of my sisters I think. She seemed almost happy and I wondered, once again, what was happening to them. Focusing in on her, I picked up the other two triplets and even my parents! I wanted to reach out and hug them!
And then the link snapped as Annaliese's presence flooded my mind. 'Foolish girl!' I knew is a second she was thinking it at me and hadn't actually spoken aloud.
"You'll lead him right to them!" she hissed at me as I staggered to my feet.
"Good! All I want is my family back!" I said, perhaps a little too loudly given that I was in a house full of vampires.
"You're an idiot." she shook her head and seemed to be considering heavy thoughts.
"Come." she turned on marched out of my bedroom, directly for the tower door. "Now!" she said glancing back at me.
I fumbled along but stopped short of the door, recalling Jared's ominous warning.
"I don't have time for this!" She grabbed my arm and shoved me toward the winding staircase. "Go on!"
The stairs seemed to keep going up but most of the rooms seemed barren. I wondered why Jared had tried to keep me from up here as I continued to ascend, Annaliese close at my heels.
We exited the tower onto the roof and I was surprised to find that the stars were flooding the sky and it was full dark. How long had I been meditating - or whatever I'd been doing?
"Now listen and listen closely Luna, Robert Van Allen does not do anything for free. So if he finds your family he will expect some sort of payment..."
"Well my family has money..." I said slowly, I couldn't actually make that promise on my own but it was true.
"He's not interested in money Luna." she said rolling her eyes at me. "Your father is a King!"
"Was. Was a king - but according to history he'd dead now. So it's not like he holds that title anymore." I was terribly confused, my father had no power now really.
"According to human history yes, but in the vampire world he's rather well known and famous - even if he doesn't know it. It was out of respect that he's been left alone as long as he has."
"But what does it matter anyway? It's not like he could do anything in the human or vampire world!" I felt like I was drowning in this conversation. Annaliese just rolled her eyes, "Look! You know I know nothing about the vampire world or anything else! I don't understand!"
"Do you remember what I told you about the birth rate? The deaths? Robert has gone through eight wives at least. He wants two things in life; power and an heir..." she said. "An heir that will live..."
"And Jared...?" I stumbled away from her as the prospective of Jared dying assaulted me again.
"He's always been a frail thing - in vampire respects anyway - he won't survive the change." Her face was clouded in sadness as she said it but she was blunt. "Robert has his eye on you Luna, he'll use your family against you if he finds them." With a flourish she took flight and left me floundering on the roof.
My head was a million miles away as I meandered back down the spiral staircase to the ground floor. All thoughts of Derik and my family were banished for the moment as I sought out Jared. I pushed the door to the library open, hoping to find him with his nose in a book like usual. Unfortunately it wasn't Jared I found but Robert.
He didn't look up from his book or acknowledge me so I started to back out of the room. "Now now Ms. Taffity, no reason to be rude." he said.
I gulped, my feet stilled beneath me. "Sorry, I didn't want to disturb your reading."
"Now you're just lying. Have a seat." he commanded. I had no choice but to obey. I closed the door behind me and sat in the seat next to him as he continued to read his book.
After a long, dreadful moment of silence, his book snapped shut and he turned his attention on me. "I think I have a lead on your family."
I nodded and cringed inwardly. All my own fault no doubt. "That's wonderful."
"It is, so why do you look like I just ate your puppy?" I had no response to that so I kept my mouth shut and my thoughts as empty as possible. "Very well, I hope to have them here within the week."
He returned to his book and I took that as permission to leave. I was at the door when he spoke again. "Oh and your human is alive - though beyond that I'm not sure what sort of condition he's in. Seems a few French vampires got a hold of him and..." he trailed off. "Regardless, I have expended great resources to get him out of that terrible situation. I only hope the damage isn't too severe."
"I thank you sir." I said as fresh tears sprang to my eyes thinking of Derik and what he may have gone through. I didn't continue my search for Jared that night. Instead I returned to my bedroom and curled up into a ball to cry.
------
"Luna...Luna, are you alright? You've been so...I don't know. But I thought you'd be happy considering..." Jared said stroking his finger along my hand.
"I am happy. Just overwhelmed." I lied. I didn't put up a fight as he walked me outside into the chilly night air. He'd laid out a blanket and motioned me toward it.
"I thought we might make use of the time we've got - once your family arrives I suspect you'll be ready to go home 'eh?" I merely shrugged and sat down on the blanket next to him.
I stared up at the stars and thought back to the times I'd sat under these same stars with Derik. Would he remember the stars and the names of the constellations? Would he be the same person?
"That's Cassiopeia." I said somewhat flatly.
"I know." Jared said with a small smile. "Cassiopeia was a beautiful queen, like you."
"I'm no queen." I said quietly.
"But you are beautiful." he whispered. I awarded him with a small smile and laid my head against his shoulder.
End Chapter
Outtakes
