Dark Calling

[Cara]

Nefara blinked in confusion, her idea of escape shattering. "What?" She shook her head. This had to be some sort of sick joke. "No, my father is dead," she said, as she grabbed the large garbage dumpster. With all her strength, she jerked it up. Lord Oron took a step backwards. Nefara launched it at him, as the same time, leaping up the wall as high as she could.
Lord Oron easily dodged the dumpster, but Nefara had the time she needed. Her hands darted out, finding the most minute foot and hand holds as she climbed up the wall. If she was so terrified, she would have thought this a funny situation, having watched too many movies like Spiderman as a child. As she reached the top, she turned around. Lord Oron was looking up at her with a mix of amazement and...sadness?
"Nefara, wait," he said, imploringly. She knew he couldn't follow, turned and fled, flitting over the golden rooftops, as the sun sank below the horizon and out of sight.

Aleron shook himself. "Some Kriivida. Really strong. He was following Nefara and I..." Aleron paused. "Gabriel, you're alive!" he said, amazed. "How? What happened?" He paused again, thinking. "No, we have to get Nefara."
As they started off, Gabriel looked at Aleron. "That was Lord Oron."
"You mean...Elvira's husband? What? No. That's impossible."
"No. It's not. And I can't explain. We have to stop Lord Oron from finding Nefara."
"It may be too late," Aleron said, picking up his speed.


Nefara was breathless when she arrived at the house. It wasn't because she had flitted all the way, but she was nervous. No one was there yet. She looked at the purple sunset. Elvira and Carden would be there in a few minutes. But what about Aleron? Was he dead!? What had that Kriivida done to him?
The woman that owned the house was an older looking vampire. She seemed warm and welcomed her in. She didn't speak any English, so there was no communication. She poured Nefara a warm glass of blood, and Nefara didn't want to know where it was from. She waited nervously, her fingers tapping groves into the counter as she waited.

[Galadas]

Gabriel flitted close to Aleron, he searched for Oron's aura, but could not find it, even though he was still on his trail.
"Where were the two of you going?" he asked Aleron.
"A safe house," answered the Vampire.
"Maybe she's already there. Oron couldn't have gotten far, and I don't sense Nefara anywhere near," said Gabriel. He wanted to get to Elvira, as fast as he could. Nefara was smart enough to know she better not fight with a Kriivada. If he was wrong, it better be Nefara's common knowledge telling her that Oron was lying, or at least she would think. The whole group was unaware of Lord Oron's return, that gave him a bit of an advantage.


Oron stumbled through the streets, he had lost track of Nefara, and he could not find her trail again. Why did he not convince her that he was her father? This had been his only chance, it seemed. How great would the chance ever be of him finding her again? He took out Mister Pierce's phone, dialing Michelle's number again.
"Lucien, good you called!? I heard what happened to Pierce, I'm trying to find Oron again. If you want to know where Nefara and her group is?"
"Yes, yes, tell me," said Oron. He looked around, they were looking for him again. Probably Michelle and some more Vampires. The Lady didn't seem like the woman who had only a few Vampires at her power.
"She went to some kind of a safe house! If you flit fast enough, you might catch her still alone!" said Michelle. She gave him the coordinates and hung up.

[Cara]

Nefara looked up as the Elvira walked in who looked at Nefara and immediately saw something was bothering her.
"What is wrong? Wait, where is Aleron?"
"I don't know..." Nefara said, standing. "We were attacked."
"Attacked!?" Elvira said, anxious. Carden had collasped into the chair, and already had a drink in hand. His face was dark as he listened.
"Well, not attacked."
"What are you talking about!" Elvira asked, hardly keeping her voice down.
"There was only one Kriivida. Really strong. His aura was overpowering. Aleron attacked him to give me the chance to run. We looped around. I don't know what happened to Aleron, but I was cornered. The Kriivida..." she paused. "The Kriivida said he was my father."
Elvira froze. "What? That's impossible."
"That is what I said," Nefara said, twirling the glass in her palms. "He said he was Lord Orn'd Athers."
"A ploy," Elvira said, her face rigid. "We need to keep moving. We have to go."
"Now?" Carden asked. "What about Aleron?" He looked at Nefara. Despite Aleron's and his bad history, Carden still cared for his brother and the idea of leaving him behind didn't fit him.
"We don't know if he is dead or alive."
Carden stood up, his face twisting in a painful grimace. He still was healing slowly from the Forsaken attack. "We can't leave him." His face looked determined.
Elvira looked away, momentary shame crossing her features. "We must."

Lady Canislea stepped out into the street as the last of the sun slipped under the orange horizon. "Ah, nothing quite like a sunset," she said to herself. She closed her eyes, her mind searching. There! She felt him. "Lord Oron, you are a dead man walking," she hissed, her hand curling into a claw. Then she was gone, flitting with incredible speed through the darkening streets. People she passes took it for a little gust of wind.

Cecelia slipped under the window's edge. She frowned as she saw the purple sky slipping away into a deep blue. The most dangerous time of night was right after the sun went down, despite what many people thought.
She peeked over the edge, having to squint through the dark, UV protective windows. She was looking into a beautiful room, lavishly furnished. It seemed like a sort of living room and it was empty.
"Is anyone there?" Lauren whispered, her hand clutching the Solis blade so hard that her fingers were white.
"No, but I know that I can't break that window. It's too thick and strong. All the windows seem to be made out of that," Cecelia sighed. She crouched down, as she heard the door opening. Lauren and Cecelia fell still as they watched two people exit.
"...I hate when Jese does that," one of them complained.
"Oh don't be so hard on the boy," the other said.
"Do you know when our Mistress will return?"
"You should know by now that she comes and goes from this estate as she wishes."
Cecelia looked at Lauren. "I think they are servants. Human," she whispered. "Get them while they don't expect it."
As the two servants carried out a bench, Lauren and Cecelia attacked.

[Galadas]

Gabriel stopped when Aleron did. Even though they both did not remember their age, he knew he was older than Nefara's protector. Maybe by a few years, or maybe by a hundred. He had raided the house with his mind before Aleron had his chance. "Where are they?" he asked, turning his head to the Vampire.
Aleron pointed his eyes at the coming moon, he seemed to calculate the chance that Carden and Elvira were late, but unless they encountered some trouble on their way, they had to be at the house. "They... have been here," he said, sensing the aura's that were once on that place.
"Where are they now?" he asked, but understood Aleron knew not the answer. He had been left behind, by Elvira, by Nefara, by his own brother. It was almost sad. "They must have fled from Oron," he noted and picked up the scent of his worst enemy. And of something else. It took him a while, but then he remembered. He had seen her once, from far far away. And she had passed them with an empty gaze, leaving behind that wonderful, that powerful aura. She was the original, but what did she do in this insignificant town?
"Do you sense that too?" he asked, hoping he wasn't the only one.
Aleron nodded, his face blank. "That's Lady Canislea Belacort," he said.
"Lady who how where?" Gabriel replied in confusion. Then the name hit him: the Lady. The woman Pierce and Mumford worked for, how could she be the same? Why would the original Vampire want to kill Oron and imprison Nefara? "We're doomed," he whispered, not realizing what he was saying.


Lord Oron ran his lungs out, he had never felt so scared in his life. This was his last chance to get her back, her precious little daughter and his beautiful charming wife. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, he dared not to stop thinking about them, it could all end in a flash. He had to find them!

[Cara]

Whenever Carden paused, Elvira urged him on, her face stricken. She had felt that alien aura, that powerful presence. "Don't give up on me now!" she said, as Nefara flitted ahead.
"Damn it, Elvira. I can't go on, you know that. I'm just slowing you up," Carden said, as he tenderly touched the wound at his neck. He flinched in pain.
"We need you."
"And Aleron?" Carden asked. Elvira looked away.
"That could not be helped."
"I can not be helped," Carden said softly, resigned to his fate. He gave a wry smile. "Go on, I'll catch up." They both knew he was lying. Nefara circled back, realizing that Carden was taking more than a rest.
"Carden?" she asked, her face pale.
"Sorry," Carden said. "You and your mother will be going on without me."
"What?" Nefara asked, her face falling. She looked to Elvira for help, but Elvira's face was hard and unreadable.
Carden sighed. "You don't have much time."
"We can't keep running," Nefara said, looking off for a moment. "She will find us. The Kriivida will find us. We're dead."
"Well it does seem like a pretty shitty situation," Carden said with a grim laugh. "I have been through worse though," he said, making Nefara smile. "Kid, you have the power to stop all of this." He waved his hand in a wide arch. "You can kill her."
"Didn't you hear? I kill her, and we all die. No more, ever. Gone. Poof."
"Perhaps 'poof' is better than the world that she plans for us." Carden hugged Nefara quickly before turning to Elvira, who's eyes were wet with tears. Elvira hugged him tightly until he jerked away. "I'll see you guys around, don't worry. I survived this long, I think I can kick it for a few more centuries," Carden said with his usual smirk. Nefara and Elvira watched him flit slowly off.
"Let's go," Elvira said, taking her daughter's hand. "We need to keep moving."


Lauren looked at the two bodies. "Great. Now what?" she asked, poking one of the people with her foot. He seemed to be dead, except his chest still rose with each breath. "What if they wake up?"
"Well, let's make sure they don't," Cecelia said, placing her Solis blade at the back of the man's neck.
"You're not seriously going to kill them!" Lauren gasped.
Cecelia gave her an incredulous look. "Seriously? They work for one of the most powerful vampires and who knows how many other vampires. They deserve worse than death. Are you seriously going to talk to me about ethics?"
"I just... It isn't right."
Cecelia huffed. "This world is not right. I thought you learned that! If you don't want to do this, go back to the car, and I'll deal with them."
"Fine," Lauren said, crying lightly, as she stood. "Go a head." She looked away as Cecelia quickly dispatched the two servants and hid their bodies.
"Let's go, before they are missed."

[Galadas]

"What now?" asked Aleron, trying to pick up Nefara's and Elvira's scent, along with the one from his brother.
"Follow them, instead of just standing here and waiting for the lady to get us."
"Should we not help Oron, or make sure Nefara is safe from Lady Canislea?"
Gabriel shook his head. "Don't feel like it," he said, thinking about Oron.
"No, of course you don't feel like it," said Aleron and flitted towards danger.
Gabriel sighed. And what should I do? He looked at the safe house and then at Aleron's trail. "Well, if I go to Elvira. I've reached her before Oron, and I might even get rid of Aleron, perfect." He grinned and flitted in the opposite way.

[Cara]

Lord Oron was barely able to duck as the lid of a trashcan hurtled towards him. He fell forward, as the metal lid sliced over his head and hit the brick wall with a crash. He glanced up to see the lid half imbedded from the force of her throw. Canislea was there in a heartbeat, as she grabbed him and threw him against the wall.
"Remember me?" she said, her eyes black with menace.
Lord Oron pushed himself up, ignoring the pain. He guessed that she had broken easily at least five major bones.
"I know you search for your daughter," Canislea said, as she threw Lord Oron down as if he was nothing. She placed her heel on his chest. She pressed down, ever so lightly. Lord Oron screamed as more bones cracked and ribs split. Canislea's face leered down at him. "Where do your loyalties lie, Krivida?" she asked.
Lord Oron reached a hand up and grabbed her ankle. She felt the heat of his Touch rush through her, and gave a frown of distaste before laughing. "Did you really think your Touch could effect me?" she asked. "Besides if I die, so does your family," Canislea mocked. "And you wouldn't want that, would you?"
"What?" Lord Oron gasped.
Lady Canislea removed her foot from his chest as she walked around him. "Your daughter helps me even as we speak," Canislea whispered into his ear. She pulled him up, pressing him against the wall. He clenched his teeth, sweat forming on his forehead. "Humanity is at an end. The Kriivida are at an end," Canislea said. "Too bad, when you had the chance, you didn't kill your wife."
Lord Oron renewed his struggles suddenly, surprising Canislea, as he threw her away with all of his strength. He was shaken, as his clutched his breast, breathing laboriously.
Canislea stood up gracefully, as she brushed herself off, looking unworried. She smirked. "Oh I'm sorry, did I touch a nerve?" He looked at her contemptously. "You do not know your wife. She's not yours anymore," Canislea said, laughing at the pain in his features. "Your daughter is a beautiful young girl..."
Lord Oron grabbed the Solis blade, a long sword, and charged, intent on her death. Canislea easily outmaneuvered him and twisted the sword from his hand. It clattered to the ground, as Lord Oron fell to his knees. He looked up at her, hatred glimmering there.
Lady Canislea picked up the sword and pointed it at him, the tip of it knicking his throat, drawing a thin ribbon of blood. “Humanity will fall under the vampire’s rule. Under my rule. And it is all possible because of you.”

Cecelia looked around the mansion. It was practically empty. Not a sound stirred. Lauren and her ducked behind a couch as a servant entered to fix up the room before leaving.
“No one is home it seems,” Lauren whispered.
“Maybe. This is a giant house.” Cecelia crept through the halls, peeking silently into each room. She stopped as she heard an eerie sound; music.
She motioned Lauren to look. When they looked into the room, they were amazed to see a room, the walls lined with instruments and a giant concert grand piano standing in the center. Sitting down a young man played with an awe-inspiring intensity.
After they had snuck by the room, Lauren giggled, trying to get the sound of the music out of her head. “Didn’t know a vampire could play piano,” she said with a smile. Cecelia gave a slight smile. She knew from experience that many vampires chose to study – and master – a certain skill such as a musical instrument, or instruments. It was something that could make the years, decades and centuries tick by. Certainly this vampire that lived here had plenty of time on her hands.
“We need to find where they are keeping Zach,” Cecelia said. This place was too large to search alone. “Quick, hide. We can jump a servant. They would know.”
A woman was walking down the hall. Cecelia was bent low, ready to attack, but froze, grabbing Lauren’s hand in warning. She could tell by the way this woman walked that she was not human. Hidden behind a screen, she watched the woman walk into the room with the piano.
“…Percy, you play so beautifully,” the woman said.
“You have time enough to learn. Perhaps after all is done, Lady Belacort will be nice enough to find a teacher, or even teach you herself.”
The woman laughed. “Perhaps. When will Lady Belacort return?”
“How should I know?”
“Well let her know that everything is in proper order.”
“Oh she will be happy to hear that!” Percy exclaimed.
The two vampires walked into the hall. Cecelia held her breath, afraid to be overhead. Her heart beat treacherously loud. Thankfully the two were not paying any attention.
The vampire named Percy bent low, his face bright. “Canislea is…dealing with Lord Oron,” he said, whispering in excitement. Cecelia let out a little gasp. So this ‘Lady’ was the one who had Lord Oron!!!
Percy looked in her direction, but then returned to his conversation. “As I was saying, it may be a while. She usually plays with her query.” The vampire grinned, showing teeth.
“What about the eclipse? She plans to move then. The eclipse is only in six days. We are ready, but is she? This is an unplanned travel on her part.”
Percy shrugged. “She is ready. It was rather unexpected though. But worry not; soon each of us will be kings and queens alike. The humans will bow at our feet.”
The two vampires laughed as they gracefully walked down the hall and out of sight.

[Galadas]

Oron grabbed the solis blade and turned the point of it away from him with all his strength, escaping from the distressful outcome. He jumped to his feet. "It is all Gabriel's fault, none of it can be blamed on me!" he growled. He did not know why he wanted to clear his name so badly, but he would not be called the one who started all of this. "Nefara will kill you, and that will be the end of it!"


Gabriel had only flitted for a couple of minutes before he ran into an other vampire. "Carden!" he yelled of surprise. Noticing that Elvira and Nefara were not with him, but they had been recently. "Where are you going?" he asked. He saw that Alleron's older brother looked a bit... sick. "What happened to you?" he was lucky that Carden was out of breath, that gave him the time to ask a series of questions. He hoped that the Vampire would just answer, and not come with questions himself, or in worser case, attack him. Anything could happen. He saw Carden as the most unpredictable.

[Cara]

Lady Canislea laughed, as she twirled the sword around so that it made a whistling noise. "Kill me? Hardly. Nothing can stop me. Besides, whatever happens to me, happens to her." She flitted forward and slammed Lord Oron into the concrete. "Shall I give your heart to your daughter?" she asked, as she pressed the palm of her hand over Oron's chest. He screamed as the bones snapped.
Lord Oron gathered all his strength and threw Canislea off him. She rolled up into a crouch easily, not even phased. Oron was dismayed. She was too powerful. The strongest he had ever faced. And he had killed a great many of Ancients.
Something seemed to dawn on her face, as she watched Oron laboring for breath, bleeding out on the ground. "You know what? If you don't die right now of your injuries, you will wish you have..." Canislea said, straitening herself. She flashed him a sharp smile. "Just wait until your own flesh and blood kills you. You will wish that I had saved you the torment today." She laughed, flitting off, her words and laughter hanging in the air.
Lord Oron sat staring long into the space she had filled seconds ago, a hand over his breast. He could hardly speak. As he felt his injuries, he guessed that most of his ribs were fractured, and his breast place was cracked. Lots of broken bones, of course. And a rib must have punctured a lung, because it was extremely difficult to breathe. Every breath caused searing pain, not that he wasn't in agony anyway.
He managed to get himself into an upright position, sitting against a wall. He slowly felt his pocket for the cellphone. Damn. It had probably fallen out. Where? He looked. How as he supposed to get help? What if a human found him in this state!? What did they call it now a days? A hospital? He would be taken there. No human doctor could treat all his injuries. Sure, splinting a few bones. But the questions. How would he answer? Fight? Mugged? They would ask too many questions. Lord Oron closed his eyes, suddenly weary, mind and body. Sleep seemed good right about now. No pain. No consciousness...


Carden eyes Gabriel with suspicion. He had never liked Gabriel. He had heard the horrible stories, the atrocities he had committed. "Got mugged," Carden said.
Gabriel seemed surprised, then frowned as it dawned that Carden was joking. "No, really," he asked in all seriousness.
"I was attacked and bitten by a Forsaken," Carden said, looking sullen. "I thought you were dead."

[Galadas]

"Just captured," answered Gabriel shortly. "Aren't Forsaken bites supposed to kill you?" he asked confused.
"We found the Book Doctor," said Carden, which was enough of an answer for Gabriel.
"Where are Nefara and Elvira?"
"Where is Alleron?" Carden could smell his brother's aura on him.
"He went into the Lady's direction," said Gabriel shortly, he better not mention Lord Oron.

[Cara]

Carden narrowed his eyes. "Are you aware of who that woman is!?" Carden snapped. "She will tear Alleron apart!" Carden looked at Gabriel, trying to gauge him. Something told him that the vampire was holding something back. "I need to find him before it's too late."


Cecelia walked quietly down the large halls, her senses on fire. Every little noise or movement kept her on alert. This place was so huge! If she could get close enough to Zach, she might be able to pick up his aura. And trace him. Or if a servant passed by Lauren and her could jump them and see if they would lead them to the place they were keeping Zach. Lauren watched her, anxious, scared, but trying not to let on.
"This is foolish," Lauren whispered. "We can circle these rooms and halls until the sun comes up. What if he isn't here?"
"He's here." Cecelia kept walking; she could feel Lauren's eyes on her back. Suddenly she heard someone coming down the hall. They ducked into a nearby room. Thankfully it wasn't locked.
Cecelia frowned. The sound that the footsteps made were...different. A human she could hear easily. And a vampire, she probably wouldn't have heard at all until it was too late. The way these footsteps moved, it sounded almost like a...
"Here he comes!" Lauren whispered, ready to throw back the door.
In a split second it dawned on Cecelia, but a split second too late.
"No!" she cried, as Lauren swung open the door and tackled the unsuspecting person.
There was a flurry of fists, arms and legs. Cecelia stood frozen, as Lauren was pinned down by the person, her own Solis blade pressed to her throat.
“Zach…” Cecelia whispered, staring.
Zach turned and looked at Cecelia, hearing his name.
“Zach!?” Lauren cried.

[Galadas]

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go and get to Alleron, especially in this state, and certainly not alone," Gabriel said, his calm impression made it that Carden took a few seconds longer to understand what he meant.
"You're not going to help me save Alleron, are you?" he asked, knowing the answer, but he wanted to hear it from the traitor's mouth.
"I did not escape from the two Misters to be throwing myself into danger again. It has been Alleron's choice to go after the Lady, it is not mine," explained Gabriel, showing his teeth. He would fight Carden for it, on the other hand. He had nothing to fear from this ill Vampire.


Oron woke to the sound of footsteps near his head, he opened his eyes, so he could just see through his eyelashes. He moved an inch and already felt the pain Lady Canislea had left him, he coughed blood. He recognized the man close to him from before, it was the Vampire who he had fought before. He noticed that the Vampire cared not for the broken Kriivada lying on the ground, but was rather aware of his surroundings. He as sure that the Vampire feared Lady Canislea more than Nefara's long dead father.

[Cara]

Carden glared at the vampire, but he knew that especially in this state he was no match should they fight. Grabriel! Backstabbing, self-absorbed traitor. Elvira should have killed him...
He glowered before easing his position back. One to resignation. "Then what is your plan?" he asked.

Lauren jumped up, as Zach stepped back in surprise. "Lauren? Cecelia!?" he asked. "It is really you?"
"Of course! We came to get you out of here."
Zach frowned for a moment, but it quickly disappeared. "Lady Canislea will know."
"She isn't hear though. We heard some vampires talking about it," Cecelia said, grabbing Zach's hand. "Come on! What's wrong?" she asked.
"You should stay," Zach said, looking at her with care.
"Stay?!" Lauren laughed. "I'd rather sleep in a den of lions..."
"It isn't so bad. My Mistress will take care of you."
Cecelia took a step back in horror, dropping Zach's hand. "What are you say?!" she whispered.
Zach looked at her, his eyes dark. "You aren't leaving, Cecelia. Neither of you. I can't let that happen."

[Galadas]

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. Should he oor should he not tell Carden? It was not like he could take the Vampire along. "I'm going to find Elvira and Nefara, I need to warn them." he did not know what yet, but if Carden asked, he would think of something.


Pierce jumped to his feet, he had trouble breathing and thinking for the first few minutes. His troath burned and his mind was blank. There was a mirror two feet away from him, he saw his half burned naked body staring at him. "I could've died," he said. Greta and Lucien were standing against the wall of the room, they nodded at the same time, slowly.
"Mumford did," said Greta, pointing at the second Mister's burned body.
"Don't be so sure of that," warned Pierce. He watched Lucien as the Vampire took new clothes from an army bag. "Make sure to lock the room when you leave. If he might wake up, I don't want him to ruin my plan!" He dressed himself and left the safe house. His wounds not fully healed, but it would not matter anyways. It could take him a couple of minutes to hours to find the Lady's hideout, and by the time he had found it, his wounds would be healed. He had a plan, ever since he started to work for Lady Canislea he had that plan. He would need al his strenght for that.

[Cara]

Cecelia backed up. "You aren't thinking," she urged, glancing down the hallway.
Zach smiled. Something about that smile was horrible. It made Cecelia's stomach churn. Lauren stepped around Zach. "You wouldn't believe all the things Lady Canislea knows," Zach said. "We can be together. Forever."
"Forever?" Cecelia whimpered. Something about the word struck a wrong chord with her. Forever... Eternity. Vampires. "But Zach... We don't live forever," she said, trying to think about a way out of this. Zach's grin widened as it dawned on Cecelia. "No. You will become a Forsaken!" she whispered.
"Just wait until the Eclipse. You won't have to worry. That won't happen to us, Ce. Think about it. Eternity. No Kriivida Council. Nothing!"
Cecelia's eyes darted to Lauren, who had silently went around Zach's back, as he was occupied by Cecelia. He turned, realizing his mistake, just as Lauren wacked him over the head. He hit the floor, unconscious.
"Do you think I hit him too hard?" Lauren asked worried, as she prodded him with her foot.
"If anything, you didn't hit him hard enough," Cecelia said, a frightened look on her face. What was Zach saying? "Let's go. We have to get out of here. Here, grab Zach's feet..." She reached down and picked up his arms. And the two girls hurried quickly away.
Looking on the video monitor, Percy smiled. Everything was going to plan. Percy even pressed a button to unlock the nearest door for the two Kriivida girls.


Lady Canislea looked on with interest. "My marker is in place," she said. Percy nodded. "The boy will work perfectly. Did you deal with Lord Oron?" he asked, smelling the man's blood on her.
"No, but I have a better, sweeter revenge. Once Nefara is mine. The time is almost here and all the pieces are in play," she said, excitedly.
"How do you plan to get the child? She walks where no vampire can go."
"The girl will come to me. If I have a good judge of character, she will come."
"Her mother will stop her. And the two vampires. Her friends won't let her do that."
Lady Canislea just laughed. "They aren't with her. And well, her mother will come too."


Cecelia watched as Zach slowly awakened. "Huh? Where am I? Ouch, my head..." he moaned.
"That's what you get for talking like that!" Cecelia snapped.
"Cecelila? Ce!" Zach cried, going to embrace her. He stopped, noticing that his hands were tied. "What...?"
"You weren't in your right mind. How do you feel?"
"Weird... Like I got hit in the head with bat."
Cecelia looked at Lauren, who hid a smirk. "Sorry," she said.
"Lauren? I haven't seen you in a while! Your aura looks great. A lot better than it did before... How long has it been?"
"A couple of weeks. What happened?"
Zach scrunched his nose, like Cecelia liked, trying to remember. Horror dawned on his face. "OhmyGod!" he cried. "Do you have your cell phone on you? We have to call Nefara. Lauren... tell me that you still have her contact."
"I...do..." Lauren said, making a face. "I... never got around... to deleting it."
"Good."
"Why?" Cecelia asked. She felt so relieved that Zach was back to his normal self.
"We have to call her. She needs to be warned!"
"Why? What is it?"
Zach looked white. "It's starting to come back to me. While I was there... I heard Lady Canislea talking... She is afraid of Nefara. More afraid than I've ever seen. Especially a vampire that old. Geeze, you have to have felt her aura. It was so...wow. Sorry, anyway, like I was saying, she's afraid of Nefara, so she wants other people dealing with her instead of meeting her face to face. You know? So she met with Lord Oron. And they are in it together, despite how it may seem. Lord Oron is after his daughter. To give her to Lady Canislea, but Nefara is the only one who can hurt Lady Canislea. No one else can. Nothing will kill her."
"Are you sure? Positive?" Cecelia asked.
"Yes."
Lauren pulled Cecelia aside. "How can you be sure he's telling the truth? He wasn't himself only a few hours ago. And he spent so much time at that place. We don't know half of what happened to him."
"I trust him. Please, Lauren. And if he's wrong? We could all be dead." Lauren nodded, silent, but frowning.
"Call her," Lauren said, handing Zach the phone.