Chapter Three

“I cannae believe Death himself has returned.” The corner of Godric’s lips twitched and he pressed the phone to his ear as he listened to the ancient Scotsman speak. He was talking to Emre, one of the heads of the Section Black hub in Istanbul that connected the European, Asian, and African Dynasties. Emre and Godric’s bloodlines had been allied for nearly two millennia. “I dinna know if you understand the magnitude of what you propose to undertake, my old friend. We have yet to get a foothold in North America but if anyone can do it, it’s you.”

 

Godric leaned forward and put his elbow on his desk as he laid out his plans to Emre. They were bold and unprecedented, and on more than one occasion Emre got excited at the propositions that he put forth. Godric had spent more than fifty years in North America as Sheriff of Dallas, and no ancient knew better than he the problems they faced and what needed to be done to fix them. During the six centuries he served as Chief Enforcer of the European Dynasty the continent had risen to the pinnacle of vampire society. It was a beacon of prosperity and paradise for the race in an otherwise dark and brutal world.

 

Before that Godric was still a part of the organization but worked in other positions. A few centuries before the turn of the millennium he was working as an assassin in what had been known as the Greco-Roman region. Word had spread about a group of fierce warriors in the North who had been harassing the Northumbria monasteries off the shores of the British Isles. What interested Section Black the most about these battles was the evolution of technology in the region. The Norsemen had developed dragon ships, capable of long ocean voyages. The organization always liked to keep close tabs on the cultural and societal developments of humans as well as their technological achievements. It was vital to their survival that they were aware of what was happening in the human world so they could ensure they maintained obscurity.

 

The Norsemen had begun to raid the southern shores of England. This highly piqued Godric’s interest because it was directly across the channel from his homelands of ancient Gaul. He had not visited the crude lands of his birth since he was turned vampire and he was curious how the descendants of his tribe had fared as the world changed from age to age.

 

Word reached Section Black that the Vikings were preparing a large force to travel down the Northwest coast. Knowing that vampires would flock to the battles, they put a call out to send a small group of Field Enforcers to the fairly primitive but rapidly progressing nations in the western lands. It was a delicate time for the race and they could ill afford to be discovered by humans. The race was enjoying their ambiguity as they lurked unseen on the fringes of human civilization. He volunteered to travel west and make sure that the local vampires didn’t get carried away in their blood lust as the humans waged war with each other.

 

He arrived a few weeks before thousands of Viking berserkers sailed down the coast and landed in Aquitaine off the shores of southwest France, an area not far from his origins. It was one of the bloodiest battles he had ever seen and vampires had traveled from all around the region for the ripe pickings.

 

Drunk on death, his instincts got the better of him and he joined other vampires who were sprinkled in the fray of the battlefield as it raged with violence and barbarism. Despite being an ancient even then, he still lacked the self control in those times that he developed later.

 

As he fought, his blood raced with the thrill of battle, and a glint of something yellow caught his eye. He looked over to see a blood drunk Norseman carving and cleaving his way through the theatre of death. Gallant hands gripped gelid steel. A massive battle axe in one fist, a double-edged long sword in the other, he left carnage in his wake as he leaped from one opponent to the next. The human struck his enemies down with agility and swiftness despite his heavy blades.

 

The Viking was huge and his long flaxen hair whipped through the air, his head adorned with a cap helmet of thick iron on his crown. He loomed taller than every man around him as he twisted and twined his way with ease, cutting down his enemies. His valor was breathtaking and his prowess in battle was only equaled by his striking form.

 

Godric watched as eight Frenchmen surrounded the fearless Viking. He responded by raising his weapons and bellowing with laughter when they hesitated. “A dozen big bosomed women await me at the gates of Valhalla,” he guffawed, pointing his battle axe at the leader and Godric couldn’t help but smirk.

 

They ran at him, and they fell one by one to their sandy graves. That is when Godric collapsed to his knees as the call of the maker erupted in his heart for the first time. He never imagined it would illicit such intensity and all-consuming exhilaration that blazed in his very soul with untempered passion.

 

There were hordes of humans on the battlefield. The smell of blood perfumed the air. Death-cries of dying men and the clanking of weapons and shields drowned out the sounds of the splashing waves on the shore. Flames dotted the battlefield, spread haphazardly from fallen torches and fire arrows. Their embers licked the moonless black of the night, and the menacing flames illuminated the sodden earth that ran red with the blood of the vanquished. He lost sight of the Viking after a time. He would find him a few hours later on his funeral pyre and offer him immortal life.

 

“Godric.” Emre’s voice brought him out of his moment of nostalgia. “Who do you plan to use as your Second? There arenae many ancients in the New World to choose from an’ Eric is a wee bit young for the role. There’s no doubt though, many in the Old World would be eager to join you on this venture an’ work under Death himself.”

 

Emre was right about Eric’s age. Though he was considered an ancient, only the most seasoned vampires were capable of fulfilling the position of Second. When Godric was Chief Enforcer of Europe he even required his Regional Agents to be no less than one thousand years. Since he desired to reconnect with Eric, sending him away was not part of his plan. Plus, he knew his child well. Eric was born to be a Prince and he was happy in his role as Sheriff of Area 5.  “Eric has no desire to join Section Black.”

 

“Ah, still enjoying ruling over his Area is it?”

 

“I have someone in mind. There is only one other who would qualify and our two bloodlines have a history of loyalty and allegiance to each other.”

 

“Thalia?” Emre paused and there was a potent silence between them. “I dinna know. My sister hasn’t been right since Singred met the true death. Has an ingrained hatred for humans now. She left a few decades after you.”

 

“I have spoken to her on occasion. She has been keeping a watch and helping Eric for me. I thought he would do well to have another ancient in his area that is an ally.”

 

Thalia and Godric worked on a project together a few centuries ago. At the time she had a young progeny named Singred born of the maker call. Shortly after Godric left Section Black their crypt was discovered by human teenagers. The boys piled kindling on her and her child while they slumbered for the day. When they were set afire Thalia awoke and killed the attackers but her progeny was already dead. Godric suspected that there were too many memories that haunted her in the Old World. Thus, a few decades later she retired from Section Black and moved to North America. That was only fifty years ago, when he first became Sheriff of Dallas. No amount of time was enough to recover from the loss of a progeny, but he hoped that his ambitious goal to establish Section Black in North America would give Thalia purpose again. He knew she would make a hell of a Second. She had extensive experience working for the organization, she was over two thousand years old, she was undeniably deadly, and she was one of the most traditional followers of the code he had ever met.

 

He planned to make a quick trip to Shreveport, hopefully tomorrow night, and pay her a visit. There were other things he needed to attend while he was there as well, such as touring a few sites for the new North American Dynasty headquarters and buying a nest big enough for his entire blood line that could be retrofitted to be vampire safe. He was also eager to see Eric since they had not seen each other since the 1940’s. He knew he could surprise his child by slightly dampening the bond to seem as if he was still in Dallas. He would love to see Eric’s face when he showed up unannounced and it was always good to check on his child and make sure he was living a lifestyle worthy of honor.

 

He felt the pull of the sun wane and knew that it had set. Suddenly he felt excitement surge through his body. It was time to visit his future child in her park.

 

“Emre, I will contact you in a few nights and report on my progress. It was a pleasure to speak to you once again, my old friend, but there is an important matter I must attend.”

 

“I am pleased to have you back an’ look forward to hearing from you again. Tell my sister Thalia she isnae far from my thoughts.”

 

 

Sierra looked around at her moonlit cove. It was the place she went when she was in pain, a safe place her mind had created when she was a child. On some unconscious level she knew she was sleeping. In this place the debilitating cramps that plagued her recently and threatened to wake her melted away to nothing.

 

Her special place, this dreamscape, had changed significantly since she left the realm. Now the moonlight basked the cove, fireflies danced in the air, and shooting stars streaked across the sky. They were things she didn’t know existed only seven months ago. A mix of Earthly and Fae realm aspects, it also had familiar plants that grew near her village, like flowers that got so big they were larger than even her and bushes who tiny buds twinkled like a Christmas tree.

 

She knelt down by the memory pool and looked into the murky blue waters that glowed with dream magic. She wanted to see the vampire again and she smiled when his face appeared. Reminding her of the events of the night before, she watched four frogs jumped into the small pool of water and it rippled violently. She focused on it again trying to conjure another image of him. This time she saw herself when she was eight years old. She shook her head angrily. No, she didn’t want to see this. Bring back the vampire…

 

“You don’t know what you say, Sierra. The Earth realm has monsters and hideous vampires that would devour you if they laid eyes upon you.”

 

The small child Sierra frowned and shook her head exaggeratingly. Squeezing her teddy bear to her chest she looked up at the elder who was responsible for caring for her this month. “Must I go back to the scaffold? My back is yet healed from the first lashing.”

 

The elder stood up and held her hand out to the girl. “Come, Sierra.” Sierra shook her head. “See. This is why you are punished. You do not behave as you should.”

 

Sierra started breathing quickly as if she was about to hyperventilate. “Please,” she cried, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. “I do not understand why I offend my brethren.”

 

The elder’s jaw tightened and she reached deep within herself for patience. Bending down she said, “We talked about this at the hearing, Sierra. Your deformations, such as your slow growth, your learning impairment, your lack of ancestral memories—you are a burden on the village. These punishments will help you learn what is acceptable behavior. Not to speak like a child anymore, not to make silly mistakes. Enough is enough child.”

 

“I… I p…promise I will grow faster like the others. I w…w…” She closed her eyes and breathed deep so she could speak. “I will get the answerable memories.”

 

“Ancestral memories,” the elder corrected grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. “Are you going to grow to adulthood in a week like other young Fae? It has already been eight years and you remain a child. It was a wonder your father had the fortitude to care for you as long as he did. And the school, that has turned out to be a farce. Your teacher spends every day of her precious time just on you, teaching only you, and you didn’t even learn to read and write until you were four years old.”

 

The elder started pulling Sierra out of the den by the hand.

 

“NO!” Sierra cried. “Please. Please. Please.”

 

Two men waiting by the scaffolding saw them emerge. The elder was having difficulty controlling Sierra so they ran over to retrieve the girl. They dragged her towards the scaffold platform. She was kicking and screaming the entire way, gripping her teddy bears hand with desperation.

 

Within minutes she was pushed against a wooden pole at the center of the scaffolding, a platform raised a few feet above the ground so everyone in the village could witness her punishment. Her chin jutted out and her bottom teeth chattered as she cried incoherently, the tears in her eyes blurring out the images of the Fae below staring up at her, but she thought she saw her father.

 

“Gregor!” She cried. “Father, please, please. I want to go home.” She blinked again but he was gone. Her breathing was rapid as she looked around in panic. She could feel them tying her to the pole. She whimpered as she felt warm pee flowing down her legs and she trembled on wobbly knees.

 

“Sierra,” a voice bellowed out. It was the elder Garrett, the oldest elder in the village. He was addressing her. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

 

She swallowed hard, the tears still flowing down her cheeks. “I… I… am s…s…sorry. I d…didn’t mean to offend w…with my in…incorrect speaking.”

 

She tried to speak correctly like the adults but she was sobbing. Perhaps if they saw that she could speak like them they wouldn’t punish her. Maybe if she avoided saying anything childish and silly they would let her go home.

 

“Good people of the Earth Fae. Sierra, the hybrid has been a constant burden on our people. You have all experienced this burden first hand. We expend great resources to care for her. We have built a school to accommodate her slow rate of learning. We have decreed that everyone take turns caring for her. We take no joy in punishing the girl but perhaps correcting her childish behavior will force her to learn what is acceptable and what is not. We are a proud people and the eight year old hybrid still gallivants around like a Fae who is no more than a few days old.”

 

There was nodding and murmuring in the crowd and a few minutes later the braided leather whip cracked like a gunshot as it struck her back. Sierra’s mouth fell wide and she screamed a high-pitched cry of broken sobs that could be heard in every corner of the village. Her tiny hand let loose its grip on her teddy bear and he fell away from her. The female Fae in the crowd covered their ears and looked away as the shrill screams and violent sobs of a little girl prodded at even their maternal instincts…

 

Sierra splashed her hand in the memory pool and quickly stood up. She didn’t want to see that memory. It was the second time she had ever been punished and in many ways it was worse than the first, because she knew what they were about to do to her.

 

She felt her anger rise. They had made her feel as if she was all wrong, an abomination. Only when she came to the Earth realm did she find out that human children grew and learned at the same pace she had. She was glad that they had eventually banished her from the village when she was twelve. At least then she didn’t have to fear punishment. It was only when she was thrust into the untamed wilds beyond her village that she began a journey of self awareness, learning who she was and what she was capable of. She blossomed into the strong woman she now was, surviving the monstrous whether that often swept across the realm and animals so large and vicious that they would use her as a bite-sized snack. She had become a force to be reckoned with and yet she still somehow managed to retain her zest for life as she basked in the magnificence of nature.

 

She walked over to a bush of hydra lilies and sniffed one, trying to forget about the old memory that reminded her of her life in the village. The punishment was not harsh for the Fae. They healed quickly and had a high tolerance for pain, but she was not fully Fae. She bore the streaked scars down her back that told the horrible story of her childhood. For the longest time she had hated the human half of herself, but over time she had come to learn it was a vital asset in her survival and helped her endure the trials of her life. The human in her made her resourceful, strategic, creative, and compassionate. Instead of blindly acting out of instinct she could think with her brain and if needed with her heart. She could enjoy, utilize, and manipulate all that nature offered and she saw the sentient streaks in all life, even the simplest creatures such as fireflies and lilies. On some level she could even communicate with them and those simple life forms seemed to bask in her attention. They loved her, sensing she was of the Earth.

 

Sierra smiled, feeling the anxious and wonderful feeling she had felt all day dance around in her heart. She reached up and touched her chest as the sensation pulsed with more strength. It was nightfall in the waking world she vaguely realized. She wondered how long she had been in her safe dreamscape. She lay down on the grass and closed her eyes. “Wake up, Sierra,” she whispered and her dreamscape fizzled away.

 

Her brain was groggy as she came back to the waking world. So groggy that she couldn’t muster the strength to open her eyes. She would just lay there and bask in the soft feel of the grass under her and the night air cooling her skin. Just a few more minutes of bliss she thought.

 

Without opening her eyes she rubbed her chest and groggily smiled. She felt much better after her short rest. Eyes still closed, she rolled on to her back and stretched her arms above her head. She sighed, a long throaty noise escaping her lips as she arched the small of her back off the cool ground and enjoyed feeling her muscles stretch.

 

She had seen her vampire’s face in the memory pool while she dozed. She wondered where he was and what he did when he wasn’t at the park. Was he happy now that she had freed him of his curse? She giggled and wondered when she had begun to think of him as her vampire. She had watched him for so long, it seemed right. “My vampire,” she murmured in a breathy whisper.

 

“Yes?”

 

Her eyes shot open and her body stiffened as she lay there on her back. It was him, the vampire. He was there and it was not his night to come and he was in a part of the park that he had never ventured in before. He was squatting beside her on the balls of his feet, leaning forward on one arm as his closed fist pressed to the ground, his other hand on his bent knee. His head was slightly tilted, no expression on his face although his eyes seemed to glimmer with some unknown intensity.

 

Alarm bells sounded inside her, her Fae instincts blaring a warning to run which conflicted with the tingling ache in her heart that told her to stay and the inquisitive voice in her mind that told her to learn more. A horrible thought went through her mind that he had taken a liking to her and come back to finish his hunt. She wondered how long he had been squatting there watching her sleep and she gasped when she realized she had voiced her question out loud as her brain sobered with alarm and shock.

 

She slowly pushed herself up on her elbows, not taking her wary eyes off his. He tracked her every movement and just when she thought he might be a statue or a mirage he vanished, leaving behind him a blur and a gust of air that caused her hair to flutter.

 

She heard another rushed whoosh on the other side of her come and go and she sat up a little more with a gasp as she snapped her head in the direction of the noise. There was nothing but darkness and the grass swaying back and forth from a movement she had missed.

 

“Over an hour,” his velvety voice caressed in her ear from behind. She yelped and looked over her shoulder as she slightly twisted to see his chest in her field of vision, a strange necklace dangling close to her hair and some sort of tribal marking that peaked through his open shirt, which was unbuttoned to his sternum. He was now squatting behind her, leaning forward on both arms as they caged in her shoulders. Her breathing became heavier. He had watched her sleeping for over an hour.

 

He leaned one of his shoulders forward and came even closer. She was frozen, unmoving as her eyes flicked up to his.

 

“Wh… What do you want?” she stuttered.

 

A tense pause hung between them as they studied each other. “The same thing as you,” he finally whispered, his eyes flitting to her heart and back to her face.

 

She shrunk away from him as he spoke, focusing on his sharp fangs glinting in the moonlight. She had not been prepared for this encounter. Not like she was in front of the lake.

 

He leaned forward and inhaled deeply, his nose an inch away from her hair and that is when she realized he could smell her. Of course he could, she was unable to mask her scent while she slept. But if her scent would cause him to go insane as she had been told then he would have attacked her while she slept.

 

“Do not fear me,” he said.

 

She furrowed her brow. “I fear nothing.”

 

He seemed to like her response because he smiled with delight. She sat up fully and scooted a little farther away before settling herself. She didn’t dare take her eyes from his. She would teleport away if he so much as touched her. She watched him as he sat cross-legged a few feet from her. She fidgeted slightly, trying to expel the need to move closer to him.

 

He awkwardly stared at her for the longest time. Finally tilting his head diagonally and down he watched his own hand as he twirled his fingers in the grass. Without moving his head, his eyes rose to meet hers, giving him the look of a harmless puppy. He looked so young with his antics but his aura told her that he must be older than even the most ancient elders of her village. “What is your name, child?”

 

She reached up to wipe her eyes. “Sierra.”

 

He raised his head to look at her fully, his eyebrows arching. “Sierra,” he smiled widely, purring her name with his strangely enticing accent. “That is a beautiful name.” He inhaled deeply again, taking in more of her scent she was sure. “I am called Godric.” He put his hand on his chest and slightly bowed his head when he introduced himself.

 

She tried not to smile, instead opted to give the impression of only slight interest. “I know that you are a vampire,” she blurted without thinking and she suddenly felt very silly. Of course she would know. He had not tried to hide it. His fangs were fully extended as he was speaking to her that very moment, giving him a mischievous appearance as he grinned at her colossal revelation. Just then he moved his lip as if he was about to retract his fangs but they didn’t budge. His cheek twitched in annoyance before he looked back at her and his ornery looking grin slowly returned.

 

“And I know you are a Fairy,” he paused, “at least in part.”

 

Her jaw tightened. “Is that why you came back on a night you have never come before?”

 

“No,” he answered without hesitation. “Child,” he added, addressing her.

 

That was the second time tonight he had called her a child. Was he trying to mock her slow growth rate and how did he even know she grew slowly as a child?

 

She narrowed her eyes. “Why do you call me such?”

 

“Child?”

 

She nodded.

 

“Because you are quite young and you are my ch…” He looked down plucking a blade of grass before looking back to her with softer eyes. “I know you are not a child. I shall not call you such if it offends you.”

 

Her eyes slightly widened at his statement. He actually cared if he offended her or not. She shook her head. “No, I just thought you were mocking me. Please forgive my hasty assumptions.”

 

He was looking at her with curiosity now. “Very well, my child.” He said my child very slowly, rolling it off his tongue like thick velvet and scrutinizing her for a reaction. His eyebrows arched when she slightly fidgeted but he said nothing.

 

She stiffened when he reached to his jacket and stripped it off. Tossing it aside, he glanced to see if his movement startled her and smiled when he saw she had not moved. He then proceeded to lie down and stretch out on the grass in the spot she had been sleeping as if he owned it. He supported himself on his elbow and and propped one leg up, bending it at the knee. Facing her her the corner of his mouth twitched when she gasped.

 

She  had the distinct feeling that he was going to give her a sultry look and crook his finger at her, but he seemed oblivious to her as he picked up a pecan she had harvested earlier and sniffed it.

 

“For you,” he said, looking at her and holding it up. “I plucked it from the underbelly of the Earth myself.”

 

“What?” She narrowed her eyes incredulously, but a smile spread across her lips. “I harvested that very pecan with my own hand, not two hours ago.”

 

“This?” He said looking at it and shaking his head. “No, I dug out half the Earth to retrieve this treasure for you. It only grows on the deep root of an ancient red pine.”

 

She laughed and pointed. “That grows on the tree behind you.”

 

He looked over his shoulder before looking at her and smiling. “Ah, I cannot fool you.”

 

She scooted closer to him and plucked it out of his hand with a giggle. He stared at her, his face lighting up with his fangy grin, his hand still in the air as if he was holding the stolen pecan and watched her as she popped the shell off and put it in her mouth.

 

Looking down at him as he lay on his side she laughed a close mouth laugh while she chewed. “You are funny,” she said after swallowing the remnants of the pecan.

 

“I was going to eat that,” he said, his smile even wider as he looked up at her.

 

With a devious and knowing glint in her eyes she looked around the ground and picked up another pecan. Holding it out to him she said, “Eat this one.” She was squatting only a foot away from him now, her suspicions of him seemed to be practically gone.

 

He raised one eyebrow sardonically. When he didn’t retrieve it she popped the shell off and scooted even closer, plopping down on her hip and pushing the pecan against his lips.

 

“You will like it,” she said smirking. When he slowly opened his mouth she laughed and popped it in hers and chewed. “You can’t eat pecans.”

 

She fell on her back beside him, closing her eyes and giggling as she chewed. When she opened them she stared up at the starlit sky. He was still propped on his elbow beside her, looking down at her now as she became lost in the heavens. An expression of contentment spread on his face.

 

“It’s so beautiful, don’t you think?” she said fixated on the twinkling stars.

 

“Yes,” he whispered not taking his eyes off of her. “Very beautiful.”

 

Her eyes flittered to his face and she realized he was not looking at the sky, instead staring at her. Though they were not touching he was so close, and his face was practically looking straight down at hers. The pull in her heart started singing even louder, telling her she could trust him. His eyes trailed over every inch of her face and oddly she didn’t feel fear or awkwardness. In fact, she wanted him to know her and relished in his eyes brazenly trailing across her features as he committed every nuance to his memory. His eyes flitted around the golden pillow of her hair that was spread all around her head but he soon continued to shamelessly and dreamily move his eyes over her face. She felt a thrill when his gaze lingered on her lips for the longest time and she wondered if he was going to kiss her, but he didn’t. When his eyes drifted across her jaw line and to her throat where they seemed to fixate longingly, her thrill soon turned to worry.

 

He must have sensed it because his eyes quickly moved back to her face where they continued their exploration. She also studied his face, searching it, discovering it as he was discovering hers. It was one of those moments, a moment when time itself seemed to stop and everything crystallized.

 

She liked his blue eyes that reminded her of the murky blue waters of her memory pool in her dream world. They almost seemed to be green if the light hit them just right. His jaw was strong and his eyebrows were strikingly handsome.  His lips were slightly smiling as she stared at them. She decided, yes, she really liked his lips and her gaze lingered on them just as his had lingered on hers and she found herself wishing that he had kissed her. Finally when she looked back to his eyes she was embarrassed to see that he was already staring in hers, watching her as she fixated on his lips. His eyes were full of mirth and knowing as if he could read her every thought.

 

She quickly tried to think of something to say. “Your curse is completely gone after last night?” she blurted.

 

He tilted his head and looked down at her curiously. “Yes,” he said slowly, furrowing his brow in thought.

 

“You didn’t know you were cursed, did you?”

 

He shook his head. “No, my child. I did not.”

 

“I saw your curse in your aura.”

 

“You can see auras?”

 

She nodded. “Yes, a dark spot hovered over your heart and I knew then that you had been afflicted with a miserable dark magic. I do not know exactly how long but I think it was at least a hundred years.”

 

He shook his head in disbelief. “And you thought you would just come up to a vampire and…”

 

“Heal it.”

 

He smiled, his head still resting on his hand as he supported himself with his elbow. He gazed down at her in wonder. “Sierra,” he moved his hand out a little and she hesitated but finally put her palm in his. His touch was cool but surprisingly soft and gentle as he wrapped his hand around her smaller one. He sighed with contentment and closed his eyes briefly before looking at her. “Minn hjarta, do you understand what is happening?”

 

Her face was expressionless as she moved on her elbow to face him. When she didn’t answer he must have known she was indeed confused and he continued.

 

“You.” He spoke softly as he moved their joined hands slightly towards her. “And me.” He squeezed her palm as he brought it to his heart. “We were made for each other in every way. Do you understand?” He paused. “I feel it here, in my heart, as do you.”

 

Her eyes widened. “You are feeling what I am feeling?”

 

He nodded, barely moving his head as he searched her face.

 

“What does it mean?”

 

“It means…” he took in a deep breath. “It means you were born to be a vampire.”

 

She quickly sat up and pulled her hand from his. He sat up too, frowning slightly that she was pulling away from him, but he had expected such a reaction.

 

“It…” She shook her head and looked away. “But I’m half Earth Fairy. Vampires and Fae…” she looked back at him, her face contorted in disbelief and pain. “It’s forbidden. It’s…”

 

“It’s your destiny, and mine. Destinies know nothing of the histories of our races.”

 

“How do you know? How can you be so sure I’m meant to be a vampire?”

 

He fisted his palm over his chest with force. “The call of the maker. It is never wrong.”

 

He picked up both her hands and held them as they sat facing each other. She swallowed hard. “How do I know… How can I be sure you speak the truth?”

 

“Your heart tells you so. You feel it, do you not?”

 

He was right. She did feel it. There was no mistake the vampire who sat in front of her was the path she was always meant to take. Everything in her life, everything she had experienced, all that she endured had been preparing her for this and she knew it. No matter how much she tried to fight what he was saying her heart was pulling at her, winning that battle and there was nothing she could do about it. Tears started flowing down her face, she wasn’t sure if she was angry, depressed, or overjoyed. It was probably a combination of all three.

 

Despite everything she was feeling, and knowing that her destiny called to her, she didn’t think she could do it. She was of the Earth, part of the circle of life, and intertwined in the never ending chorus of consciousness that pulsed in everything around her. It defined her very existence. She feared she would lose all that she was if she became a vampire.

 

She looked deep in his ancient eyes as he gazed at her with hope and concern. The look he gave her nearly made her crumble. Just as she feared losing all that she was she equally feared losing this vampire who she barely knew. She didn’t know why such feelings smoldered within her so profoundly. She put her face in her hands and tried to choke back the sobs that threatened to pour out of her.

 

“Minn hjarta,” she felt his cool hand on her bare shoulder. “I know that this is a great deal to absorb,” he whispered. “Tell me your fears, child. I can help.”

 

Yes. Yes, he could help. Everything in her told her he would know the answers. He would guide her. She wasn’t sure how she knew this but she soon found herself trying to explain to him what ailed her.

 

“I… I am of the Earth.” She reached out and picked up a fallen leaf on the ground. “The Maple that this leaf fell from. I feel it, I know it, I understand it. He is an old one and even now has aspirations of spreading his saplings across the park to build a vast empire of Maples that will rival the Oak.”

 

Godric’s lips twitched as he struggled to prevent himself from smiling.

 

“Look,” she pointed to a nearby patch of dirt where no grass was growing. She reached her hand out and the dirt slowly started rising off the ground until it was twirling like a small slowly spinning tornado. “The Earth is my playground.” She clenched her fist and the dirt started gathering into a tiny ball. When she opened her fist the small ball that had formed was no longer dirt and something heavy fell to the ground. Godric peered at it, and his lips parted when he saw it was a fairly large diamond sparkling in the moonlight. She had applied pressure to the dirt from ten feet away until it had formed a diamond “And I can command it at my will. I can heal it. I can destroy it. I can sprout new life from it. It is who I am.”

 

Godric stared at her dumbstruck and found himself uncharacteristically swallowing hard. His future child was much more powerful then he realized and he was sure more than even she realized. She was so young and she was already manipulating the environment, she had healed him of an unnatural ailment, she seemed to be in tune with everything around her. With proper training she could most likely be one of the most powerful immortals to walk the Earth. But he understood her dilemma and he knew her fears were unfounded.

 

“If you became a vampire you would not loose who you are and you would gain more than you know. You will still be of the Earth. But you will also be of my blood.” She yelped when he was moving towards her at vampire speed. He was on his knees in front of her, his face looming mere inches above hers as he grasped her face in his hands. “Listen to me, minn hjarta. The call of the maker would not be possible unless… unless you were near your end.”

 

A silence hung between them as she absorbed what he had just said. She thought she heard him say she was near her end. “Do you mean…”

 

“Your death.”

Words: 6,589

Special Thank You: Thank you Suzymeinen for your beta magic! Thank you Navidasti and Royal Ember for dealing with my plot bunnies and giving me inspiration!