The Dark Gifts Birthright

  The ancient sorcerer sighed and shook his head. Mumbling something about no rest for the weary, he created a portal to Athena’s cottage.

  ***

  Liz was wide-awake but did not feel rested or at ease. For the last half hour, she had been trying to figure out just what she had changed in the time line, and how to go about finding it out. She couldn’t just ask someone what was different. She needed to talk to Brogan.

  Finally, tired of doing nothing, she decided to roam the castle and see what was going on. Possibly, she could see some changes just by paying attention and mingling with the rest of the occupants.

  The Citadel seemed empty. It was daylight, so most slept, but even with that, it seemed that there should have been more people (especially witches) wandering around. Liz strolled all over the upper levels seeing just a few stragglers moving quickly about with their housekeeping duties. Deciding to bite the bullet, she headed to the Council chambers.

  The full Council was in attendance and in a heated discussion. None of them knew where the missing members were or what they were doing, and everyone seemed at the least, distressed. Some were downright angry over the secret goings on and not being informed. When Liz walked in the door, the talking stopped and all eyes turned to her. Minerva looked harried and seemed relieved that her great granddaughter had finally arrived. Tiberius, the oldest attending council member, cleared his throat and spoke. “Well, well, well… maybe now we can get some answers. Do sit down Elizabeth and explain to the rest of the lowly council members what is going on, and why it is necessary to keep us all in the dark.”

  Liz had no idea what to say to these obviously angry vampires. She took her seat and rapidly tried to think up a good excuse for everyone not being there. “Queen my ass!” She thought.

  Taking a deep breath, she settled her troubled mind and began sweetly, “I take it that you have not been informed of the intricate workings of the new plan?” she smiled.

  “That would be a precise assumption.” Tiberius answered.

  “Well that in itself ought to tell you something.” Liz folded her hands on the table before her.

  The Council did not find her response remotely humorous, but she hadn’t figured they would. She continued with as much queenly authority as she could muster. “I hate to pull rank, especially considering that I am the youngest. Be that as is may, I am next in line for leadership of the Council with the others gone, so I don’t appreciate being talked down to Tiberius. In fact, I take great exception to it. We have all worked ceaselessly trying to better our lot in life. And those that are not here to explain their actions still work towards that end. I am not saying that any of us think you cannot be trusted. What I am saying is that, instead of getting angry about being left out of the loop, you should be working on what still needs to be done. Have any of you discovered who the traitor is yet? Or do you know the location of Monroe and his miscreants? How about this one…how well armed are they and what do they know of us?” Liz leaned back in her chair, licked her lips, and waited for the fireworks to erupt.

  Minerva beamed, while Tiberius and Rene glowered at her for her perceived impertinence.

  Genevieve spoke softly, “Liz is right, we do not have the right to question those that have worked so attentively. Whatever they are doing, they are doing with good cause and reason.” Then looking pointedly at Tiberius and Rene, she continued, “Liz, you are next in chain of command, what would you have us do?”

  Liz was unprepared for that kind of reaction. Oh crap, she thought, I’ve really stuck my foot in it now. She placed her elbow on the table, and rested her chin in her hand. “I believe that if the traitor could be found, we would have found him, or her, already. It’s a waste of time to continue exhausting resources that could be used elsewhere. As far as the location of Monroe and the others is concerned, in my opinion that’s where we need to focus our attention. At minimum, we know that they are still out there killing and turning mortals. At maximum, we know that they will be coming for us, if and when they find our location. But first things first, I would like an accounting of what each department is doing right now and how things are going. Who would like to start?” Liz looked around the room at the others and waited for someone to speak. Still trying her best to appear queenly and in control.

  Minerva was the first to answer, “All of my witches have been thoroughly trained in the new arts. We are ready, when the need arises, to fight against the opposing side. There is still the matter of whether or not we should be recruiting some of the more focused vampires to learn Cass' magic. I for one, think it is a good idea for anyone that can learn, to know portal magic at the least.”

  Liz nodded and turned her eyes on Tiberius. Tiberius glowered, adamant that he would not answer to her, regardless of her position on the Council.

  Rene spoke up, “The army is at the ready as well. I believe that we have a capable juggernaut that will be easily aimed at the opposition when the time comes for battle. My primary concern is that we may not have the adequate numbers to function. We have no idea how many Monroe has allowed to be turned. I have been watching news from the outside world and missing persons in the U.S. alone, number in the thousands. Should they be taking humans that will not be missed, it could be more like tens of thousands.” Rene looked nervously at Tiberius, wondering how far over the line he had stepped with the other leading general of the vampire army.

  Genevieve gave an accounting of the daily tasks and boring details of the goings on in the Citadel. Everyone was performing their required duties and the food supply was still in great form.

  Liz listened, appearing to take everything seriously, all the while thinking about what she should tell these people that had also become friends, to do next. She was certain that this whole “Queen” thing was way out of proportion, she didn’t have the ability or the nerve to boss anyone around, especially thousand year old vampires! After addressing the minor details, everyone sat in expectation of new orders. Everyone except Tiberius, who was so angry that his naturally pale face had turned red with fury.

  The room was quiet and filled with tension. Liz looked at Tiberius and waited. As the seconds drew out to minutes, she began to tap her fingers impatiently on the table, still staring at the furious general. Finally tired of the whole ordeal she spoke quietly, “You agreed with the hierarchy of the Council when it was established. You put forth no argument when the first votes were cast. I have no idea when the others will return. I do not know how long what they are doing will take them. If you have a problem with the way things are then you have two choices that I can see: You can recluse yourself from Council meetings until the others have returned, and then we can all vote on your insubordinate behavior or…you can acquiesce that I am the de facto leader until the others arrive and act accordingly. It is your choice, but I will not allow dissension in a time of war, and war is what we are about right now. Now choose.”

  The entire Council seemed to hold their breath. Not even the rustle of clothing could be heard. Tiberius’ face had turned ashen with his rage and his eyes glowed with the passion of it. As he continued glaring at Liz, he murderously hissed, “I will not be set aside by a mere child. I will not be ordered around like an imbecile, and I will not, under any circumstances, be talked down to as if I have no merit or worth on this Council. Your assumption of power and control over this Council and its meetings is at an end. Who will stand with me against this girl and her delusions of grandeur?”

  Liz stood as he ended; knowing that she would either have to cave to his attempted assertion of control, or once and for all put them all in their respective places and take the lead. She had no idea when the others would return, and if she didn’t take charge and stop the questioning, then she would be forced to answer.

  She glanced at each Council member, trying to read their faces, and gauge where their hearts and loyalty would fall. Her voice, as full of authority as she could muster, echoed in the room, “A line has b
een drawn. The rules we have all agreed upon, and now live by, are being questioned. The only distinction between us and the renegades are the laws we have chosen to live by. Choose your side carefully. If we disband this Council now, and allow dissension in our own ranks, then how do we differ from the renegades that we seek to destroy?” Liz once again took her seat, her face serene and set, and although she did not realize it, she had an air of royalty about her.

  One by one, the council members began to stand, with the exception of Tiberius. Tiberius began to smile. Beginning with Minerva, the entire Council spoke out their vote, each of them pledging their allegiance to Liz and Council law.

  Rene was the only member that hesitated and was the last to speak. “You ask that I place my vote with the others, and so I shall, but first I must have my say. I am greatly troubled by what is happening here, as we all are I am certain. The quest for power and control has always been a blight on a vampire’s existence. Many battles have been fought and lost due to its attempted acquisition.”

  He lowered his head, placing his hand on Tiberius’ shoulder. “Should you pursue this road my friend, then you are leading us over the same path of devastation we have already traveled. For myself, I have no problem with Elizabeth leading the Council; we were united in agreement on the hierarchy of the Council. I have no reason to second-guess that decision now. Counsel yourself brother, take stock in what you are proposing. We have no cause to question her loyalty to the vampire nation or her ability to make wise decisions. Think clearly and cast your vote, either with us or for yourself, but know that my vote resides with the law, and the law states that she is my leader when the others are away.”

  Tiberius glared at the council members. He had not been bluffing when calling for a vote. Nor was he flippant about leaving if the vote was against him. His muscles stiffened as he attempted to control his shock and anger. Even Rene stood against him?

  Seeing his uncertainty, Liz moved to him. Kneeling, her eyes met his as she reached out and took his hand. “I am not asking you to make me Queen of the Vampires,” she squeezed his hand. “I am asking that we follow protocol until the others return. I know everything they are doing, but believe me when I tell you that my orders came from Gregorio himself, and I do not have the right to inform you. I don’t want to be your enemy. We need you here. We need your expertise and valuable insight, but the law is the law. All of you taught me that, and that is all I am trying to uphold.”

  Tiberius met her kind gaze with a look of utter shame, and then standing, pulled Liz to her feet, and gruffly said, “My vote is with the Council as well. I am humbled by all of you. I will not be the one to destroy what we have worked so hard to accomplish.”

  Sighs of relief echoed off the old stone walls. It was finished, the Council would remain intact and loyalty to the law had been established. Liz quickly walked back to her seat and said, “Let’s tackle these other subjects people. It would be wonderful if we could give some help to the others when they arrive. First things first, Tiberius and Rene, how would you two go about infiltrating the opposing factions?”

  Rene’s face lit up with exultation. “I just had a thought. We need our own spy, and now we have the perfect opportunity to put that in motion. Let me tell you what I have in mind…”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  All Work With No Play Makes For A Long Day

  Liz knew she was dreaming. Realistic as it was, there was a part of her that understood what she was seeing was not real. She was in a small seedy bar, standing by the jukebox that blared 80’s Rock. Several women danced and undulated to the music on the scant linoleum dance floor stained yellow from nicotine and dried beer. Turning for just a moment, she caught a glimpse of herself in the filth-spattered mirror that covered the wall behind the old jukebox; she was dressed all in black leather, her lips blood red, her pale face hardened and angry.

  Michael sat at the end of the bar across the room. His eyes gleamed with anticipation, his face took on a hungry ravaged look as he watched her. He too wore black leather. Several women in the bar had already noticed him, and were doing their best to draw his attention.

  Seemingly oblivious to the mortal patrons of the place, several vampires were playing pool and hanging out in the corner. Liz felt the thirst emanating from them, she knew they were there to hunt and every mortal in the bar was in danger. No human would leave this place alive. She glanced at Michael who had turned his attention to the other vamps in the corner, and waited for the signal.

  The largest of the others noticed her and sauntered toward her. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. “This is our hunting ground, we have already spoken for it.”

  Liz eyed the man with disdain and then replied condescendingly, “Since when do you have dibs on food? I was not told this hunting ground was off limits.”

  The filthy man leered at her. He reached out to stroke her arm. “You can stay if you like, but I’ll require some sort of payment for indulgence in our feast.”

  Liz bristled at his touch, calmly reaching out she grabbed the offensive hand, twisted it behind him, and pulled him close. Her cheek pressed against the side of his face as she whispered in, “You have no idea who you’re messing with do you? I would suggest that before you ever lay your filthy paws on me again you find that out.”

  The man pushed at Liz, but before he could escape her grip, Michael was on him. He was strong, but not nearly as strong as Liz or Michael, he must have been a newly-made. Those with him, seeing the commotion, immediately came to his aid. The sound of gunfire rang out above the music. Screams echoed off the walls. Many mortals took cover under tables while others shoved and pushed their way through the doors. Liz and Michael quickly dispatched the new ones, and then the scene faded to something entirely different.

  She was seated on a throne. Gregorio stood on her left and Michael on her right. On her head, she wore an elaborately designed gold crown encrusted with diamonds. Kneeling on the floor with armed guards, one at each side, was Monroe. She spoke with authority, “Your punishment is death by sunlight. Take him away.”

  Liz jolted awake. It took a moment to get her bearings, the dream had seemed so real, it was hard to believe she was still lying in bed with Michael. He snored softly. She knew the dream had to mean something. Still troubled, she unconsciously reached out and brushed his hair away from his handsome face, a smile traced her lips as she watched him. He made one super sexy biker.

  Several weeks had passed, and although the others had returned shortly after she had asserted her power over the Council, she remained the Council leader in Cass' absence. Gregorio and the others decided that with the new projects, and the amount of time each would need to be away, it was best to leave Liz in charge. Even Michael had agreed with the decision. Although she was certain that his decision had much more to do with keeping her out of harm’s way, than his trust in her ability to lead them. She spent many long hours in counsel with Brogan before he left on a secret mission known only to her and Gregorio.

  It was three in the afternoon, and Michael would still sleep at least another two hours before rising. The dream troubled Liz. There was something she was meant to see in the dream, and somehow had missed it. Restless and out of sorts, she decided to get dressed and go for a walk about the castle. Jenna and Angie would be in Jenna’s room (probably playing), so she could go visit with them until the uneasiness wore off.

  Liz knocked once on Jenna’s door and opened it. As suspected, Angie and the child were in the middle of a very serious game of alphabet zoo. From the looks of the tally marks on the score sheet, Angie was getting stomped. Jenna smiled at Liz and raised her index finger. Liz laughed and settled on the floor beside the small table.

  “Okay, Jenna, we are on W,” Angie said.

  “Wolverine! Now you have X!”

  “I always get stuck with X. That’s why you keep winning!”

  Jenna leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. “It’s your turn, do you
have it or not?”

  “X-ray fish.”

  “You used that last time. You can’t use it again, that’s cheating!”

  Angie threw her hands in the air, scowled at Liz, and muttered something about five year olds being too smart for their own good.

  Jenna clapped her hands. “I win again. Go me!”

  “Hey kid, nobody likes a bragger.” Angie tussled Jenna’s hair. She grinned and turned to Liz, “Can you believe what I have to put up with around here?”

  Liz shrugged and winked at Jenna. “Find one you can win, or get a dim-witted partner.”

  ***

  Angie looked better every day. The demon cleansing process had nearly wiped her mind. In the beginning, they were not sure she would make a full recovery. As the days passed, she recovered her glittering personality. Except for an occasional look of pain that momentarily crossed her face, Angie seemed quite normal.

  Jenna was a completely different story, she had not snapped back to her natural personality. She had temper tantrums on a regular basis and was prone to fits of pouting. Liz’s mother assured her the behavior Jenna exhibited was perfectly normal for a child her age. Liz was not so certain, there were times when Jenna would get a faraway look and become very quiet. She wasn’t hearing voices anymore, but she still seemed to know things she shouldn’t know.

  After they returned to the castle with the girl, the Council made one last effort to find Cass. Neither she nor Dan could be found anywhere. They visited the cabin several times, but there didn’t seem to be anyone living there. There were no clues to their whereabouts or any indications they had ever been to the cabin. That alone made Liz a nervous wreck. She knew Cass would never leave her daughter, and even though Dan was having trouble adjusting to the change, he wouldn’t have either.

  Things were not going well, the natives were restless. The Council was still working hard, but only those who were directly involved felt any sense of fulfillment or purpose. If something did not happen soon, both the vampires and witches would probably start heading back to their own homes and lives, depleting the army to an ineffectual number.