Julien Gregg's Twilight in Babylon: The Vampire Saga Chapter 9

 Chapter Nine
The Battle


Dad and Harry went into the woods the night before to see what they could see. This was told to me by Leah when she came to talk to me before we left for the store. I was angry with my father for going into the woods knowing that James was out there. I wanted to go by the station but the news came to us before I could leave. Harry had suffered a severe heart attack the night before in the woods. He was now at the hospital but not expected to make it. We went there instead. By the time we arrived Harry had already died. My dad was beside himself with grief. He was comforting Sue when we got to the floor. Leah and Seth were in tears. There was nothing that I could say now. It would just make Charlie feel worse. Jacob and I left to head to the house. When we got to the house there was a black Lexus parked in front. I knew the car and got excited. Jacob looked anything but excited as we pulled up behind it and got out of the truck.

“That’s the doctor’s car,” he said.

“Yes,” I said as I made my way to the front door.

“Wait,” he said.

“No,” I said and went inside.

I was immediately in an embrace with Archie. He wasn’t who I expected by I was happy to see him at any rate. He held me tight for a few minutes and then pushed me back to arm’s length to look me up and down. “Do you want to tell me how you’re alive? You disappeared from my vision, Beau. That means you died.”

“I didn’t die,” I said. “I morphed into a wolf-man and kicked ass.”

“What?” he asked.

“Remember the night before I went to Florida?” I asked. He nodded. “I almost morphed that night. I did morph this time. One of the tribal wolves took offense that I knew his secret. He wolfed out and came for me. I morphed into the wolf-man and kicked his ass.”

“That’s what happened?” he asked. “You disappear from my vision when your morph into wolf-man. I thought you were dead.”

“I’m not dead,” I said. “I’m fine. I just keep losing weight if I don’t stay on it.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because I morphed,” I said. “You didn’t see me the day after the party. I was skin and bones and had to eat several very large meals to get my body back on track. This time it was worse. It took longer and a lot more food. I’m still feeling the effect of it. If I don’t eat really big meals three times a day I’ll lose weight and slowly die from starvation.”

“Gabriel needs to look you over and run some tests,” he said. “If only he were here.”

“Jacob said you guys can come back any time you want,” I said. “His father usurped his power to get you guys out of town but he was reprimanded for it. Jacob said he has no problem with any of you and if I decide to be with you it’s my decision to make.”

“Well I’ll tell Gabriel this when I see him next,” he said. “Right now I want to talk to you about Edward. He’s miserable since we left Babylon. He’s been hunting James but he’s not very good at tracking vampires.”

“James is here in the vicinity,” I said. “He knocked on the door the other night and asked Charlie if I was at home. I wasn’t I was at the reservation.”

“Well that’s good,” he said. “What were you doing at the reservation?”

“I’ve been staying there since I morphed into wolf-man,” I said. “Emily and Sam have been helping me to stay healthy.”

“Okay,” he said. “Is your dad at work?”

“No, he’s probably still at the hospital,” I said. “His close friend Harry died of a massive heart attack this morning.”

“That’s terrible,” he said.

“I don’t know when he’ll come through the door,” I said.

Just then the door opened and Jacob came in. He walked over to the loveseat and sat down. He just looked at us. We looked back at him. “Are the other’s in town, too?”

“No,” said Archie. “I came alone. Beau disappeared from my visions when he morphed into Wolf-Man and I thought he was dead. I came to be here for Charlie.”

“Well I’m not dead, but I am hungry,” I said, getting up and heading to the kitchen. They followed me. Archie sat at the table and watched as I prepared my lunch. I heated up chicken and fish and got the potato salad and macaroni salad out of the fridge. I got a plate and piled it high with food. Then I got six slices of bread and slathered butter on them. I sat at the table and ate my lunch until it was all gone. Archie watched me with a shocked expression on his face.

“That was a lot of food,” Archie said.

“I need those big meals three times a day to keep my body in this condition,” I said. “If I miss a meal it’s bad for me.”

“He’s been eating like that since he morphed,” Jacob said.

“The food must cost a fortune,” Archie said.

“About that,” I said, looking at him hard. “There was a lot more money in my account than there should have been.”

“Well Edward deposited fifty thousand into your account the day we left Babylon,” Archie said. He wasn’t shocked or embarrassed about it. To him it was just money.

“Well I’m glad he did so I’d have money to finance my diet, but I wish he hadn’t done it at the same time,” I said.

I was doing the dishes when Charlie came in. He saw Archie and smiled. He hugged him and then they sat at the table with Jacob and talked about Harry. Charlie said he was going to help Sue plan the funeral a little bit later but he’d come home to check on me. I told him I’d eaten a large meal and was now doing the dishes left from said meal. He laughed at that. He told me Kale would be home soon. I told him I’d cook dinner when the time came. He and Archie talked about the fact that Billy had lied to them and told them that he was the chief of the tribe the day he’d told them to get out of Babylon. Jacob told Archie himself that he had no problem with any of them and that they could come back to Babylon to live any time they wanted.

I changed into my Petals shirt and headed for the store. Jacob came with me, leaving Archie and Charlie to talk. Kale was just leaving as I got there. He told me that it had been a slow day. I nodded at this and went behind the counter to straighten things up. Kale was good at what he did but he left messes behind himself. I worked my shift but it was boring. There were no orders and Ray only had the store stuff to work on. I didn’t get to arrange even one floral arrangement. When I left I went straight home. I started dinner while Archie kept me company. Jacob had gone back to the reservation to tell the others that Archie was in town. Of course they’d be on patrol around the house before too much longer.

I had another super large meal at dinner with eight pork chops, half a plate full of mashed potatoes and a bowl of corn. I drank two large glasses of milk with it. Archie just shook his head as he watched me eat. It wasn’t new for Charlie and Kale so they said nothing and made no faces or shook their heads at what I’d eaten today. I was doing the dishes again as I listened to Archie, Kale, and Charlie talk in the living room. Did they not know that I could hear them?

“Tell me how he’s really been,” Archie said.

“He slept a lot,” Kale said. “Every time I turned around he was asleep. He didn’t talk to anyone unless they talked to him first. Even then it was short and simple answers and then he’d shut up again.”

“He woke up screaming a few times,” Charlie said. “He was a shell of himself for a while. Then he started to hang out with Jacob and things changed. He was himself again and I was happy about that. To be honest I expected him to tell me that he and Jacob were an item but he never did. I know that Jacob wanted him though.”

“How’s Edward holding up?” Kale asked.

“He’s quiet and hunts his food even though we have livestock,” Archie said. “He snaps at everyone when they talk and refuses to let anyone say Beau’s name in his presence. He’s not doing well either.”

“Well we need to get them back together,” Charlie said. “You can help with that.”

“I plan to,” Archie said. “What about Jacob?”

“Jacob is in love with Beau but I’m not so sure that Beau feels the same about him,” Charlie said. “At times it seems that he does but then he’ll be aloof again.”

I had to think about what he’d said. It was true that at times I did feel the same about Jacob as he felt about me. I hadn’t wanted to admit that to myself but it was true. My heart belonged to Edward Maxwell but a piece of it was the possession of Jacob Black. It changed nothing though. I was in love with Edward. I wanted to be with Edward. And if Archie could bring them all back to Babylon I would be with Edward. Sure I loved Jacob but I love Edward more. That was all there was to it. Besides it was my destiny to become a powerful vampire. The Gods had told me so. That meant that I would be with Edward.

Archie went to my room with me after I’d done the dishes. He sat on my bed and waited while I went in and brushed my teeth, washed my face, and put on my pajamas. I walked back into the room and sat one the bed. He looked at me for a long moment and said nothing. I looked back wondering what was in his head. He smiled suddenly and then shook his head. “It’s there again,” he said. “You becoming a vampire. It’s solid.”

“The Gods told me it was my destiny to become a powerful vampire,” I said.

“The Gods?” he asked.

“When I slept I’d go to Mount Atlantis and talk to the Gods,” I said. “Poseidon, Isis, Ra, Darias, Ren, and Elle.”

“Who is Elle?” he asked.

“The Goddess of Sorrows and Sadness,” I said. “I did sketches of them.”

I got up from the bed and got my sketch book and handed it to him. Of course there were many sketches of Edward in there. Two were of Jacob but most were of Edward. He flipped through the book until he found the Gods. I’d done a group sketch of them sitting on their thrones and individuals. “Beau, I didn’t know you could draw like this,” he said as he looked at them.

“I didn’t either,” I admitted. “I just bought the sketch book and a bunch of charcoal pencils and started to sketch.”

“These are superb,” he said. “You could show them in a gallery.”

“I’m not interested in any of that,” I said. “I sketched to let it out if you know what I mean.”

“I think I do,” he said. “You know Edward hasn’t been having a ball since we left Babylon either. He’s miserable without you.”

“Well tomorrow you can call them and tell them they can come back,” I said.

“I’d have to track Edward down,” he said. “He doesn’t live with the family right now.”

“That’s bad,” I said. “He loves all of you.”

“Yes he does but we remind him of you too much,” Archie said. “He said we all thought about you too much and he couldn’t bear it.”

“So he left you guys?” I asked.

“Gabriel knows where he is,” Archie said. “He’s his maker. He’ll always know how to find Edward.”

We slept after that. When I got up Archie was already up. He was downstairs with Charlie and Kale. Charlie was headed to Sue Clearwater’s house to help her plan the funeral. Kale was going to work to put together arrangements for the funeral. Archie had some errands to run and promised to be back soon. Then Jacob was in the house with me. We sat in the kitchen while I ate my huge breakfast. He said nothing for a while but then he sighed.

“You’re going back to Edward, aren’t you?” he asked.

“If they move back here I am,” I said. “Jacob please understand that I’m in love with Edward. I love you but not the way you want me to.”

Just then the phone rang. Jacob answered it before I could even get up from the table. He said, “He’s not here. He’s planning a funeral.” Then he hung up.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“Doctor Gabriel Maxwell,” he said.

“You should have let me talk to him,” I said.

“He didn’t ask for you,” he replied. I just shook my head.

I was just finished washing the dishes when Archie came in the door. He looked at us for a long moment. I told him that Gabriel had called but Jacob had told him that Charlie was planning a funeral. Then he’d hung up. Archie’s eyes widened. I turned fully to look at him.

“That wasn’t Gabriel on the phone,” he said. “It was Edward checking to see if Beau was dead.  You told him that Charlie is planning a funeral. He now believes that Beau is dead. He’s going to San Juan to ask the council to kill him.”

“He can’t do that,” I said quickly “I’m alive.”

“Beau we have to get to San Juan,” he said. “We’re closer than he is so we might beat him there.”

“Well let’s go,” I said.

“Beau please,” Jacob said.

“You would have me let Edward die?” I asked. “No, Jacob. Let’s go, Archie. Jacob tell my father where I went and why.”

We got in the car and headed out as the sun went fully down. I heard Jacob howl and winced. I had to save Edward. He was my destiny. Archie drove like a mad man. I put my seatbelt on and sat back. He was on his phone talking to Roman about the fact that they relied on his sight far too much and that I was alive and well and we were headed to stop Edward from killing himself. It took three hours to get there. South Texas was across the Gulf of America.

“Roman told Edward about you disappearing from my vision when he called to check in,” he said. “Edward called to talk to Charlie but Jacob told him Charlie was planning a funeral. That made Edward think that you disappeared from my vision because you died. It’s a huge mess and I started it all.”

“Well really I did when I morphed into Wolf-Man,” I said.

“Well I wasn’t supposed to be looking for your future to begin with,” Archie said. “We were supposed to have a clean break. I told Edward that wasn’t possible with how much you meant to all of us. He just wouldn’t listen.”

We pulled into San Juan at about two-thirty in the morning. Edward wasn’t there yet. He couldn’t be. We went straight to the palace to wait for him. We didn’t go inside. I got my first look at the four story grey stone building with its towers and flags. The coat of arms for Maxwell was on both of the double doors and the stained glass windows in the tower each had the coat of arms displayed. The grounds were immaculate. There was a fountain in the center of the lawn. It was a mermaid sunning herself. Water feel from the bowl she had on her shoulder. We weren’t waiting long when Edward showed up. He looked at me and stopped in his tracks. I looked back at him for a long moment and just let the sight of him fill me with hope and love.

“You’re alive,” he said.

“So are you,” I said.

“I love you,” he said.

“As I love you,” I said. “Jacob said you can all come back and things can back to the way they were before you left. He has no problem with any of you. He said if I chose to be with you then that my business and not his.”

“Well I was coming back anyway, the tribe be damned,” he said. “I couldn’t stand being away from you.”

Just then a vampire came out of the double doors. He stopped to look at all of us and said, “Brendan wishes to speak to all of you. If you’ll follow me.”

Edward came to stand with me. We walked behind the vampire with Archie slightly behind us. We went inside. The inside of the palace was all grey stone walls and grey stone flooring. There were what looked like authentic candle sconces on the walls. As we got closer to one I saw that the candles were actually electric lights. The lighting in the entrance wasn’t ideal. The Vampire led us to the back of the grand hall and opened a door. He ushered us inside.

The room was lit very well and I could see the vampires and Forsaken seated in seats at the back of the room. The vampire that escorted us inside now when to sit in the only empty chair in the row. Brendan stood. I assumed it was Brendan. He fit the description that Edward had given me a while ago. He was statue white with flaxen blond hair.  He was dressed in a pair of black leather pants that hugged his slim frame and biker boots. He stood there, looking at us for a long moment.

“You all congregated outside palace,” he said. “I will know the why of it. Have you come to see Eric in his sleep?”

“No, Brendan,” Edward said. “A simple misunderstanding brought us here. I mistakenly thought Beau was dead and was coming to ask you to end my life. Then I got here and found Archie and Beau. He’s alive. I was simply rejoicing the fact that Beau is alive. I’m sorry that we didn’t come in to say hello.”

“Beau Swan,” Brendan said, coming to stand before me. He took my hand in his and smiled at me. Then he turned to Caster and had him come to read me. He was a short vampire with shoulder length dark-blond hair and icy blue eyes that were ringed in black. He stood there with my hand in his for a long time. Then he said he walked back to his seat and sat down. I thought that was the end of it. But it wasn’t. They had questions for us. Why had Archie thought me dead?

“I have visions of the future,” he said. “Sometimes I mistake what I see.”

“Well that mistake has brought you all before the council,” Brendan said. He turned to Edward. “Am I to assume that you will be returning to Babylon and to Beau Swan?”

“Yes,” Edward said. “I have to contact the rest of them to find out if they want to go or to stay.”

“Caster, no report?” Brendan asked Caster.

“I got nothing,” he said. “He blocked me somehow.”

“How astounding,” Brendan said, looking at me now. “Tell me, Edward, can your read his mind?”

“I’ve never been able to read his mind,” Edward said.

“So you’re a shield of some sort,” Brendan said as he smiled at me, showing his fangs. “A mental one at least.”

“He possesses the power of pyrokinesis as well,” Archie said.

“Does he now?” asked Brendan. “How fascinating. When was the last time you used this power, Beau?”

“Last year when Victoria, a Child of Apollo tried to kill me I set her on fire and killed her,” I said.

“So you’re a witch,” Brendan said. “Witches being turned into vampires has been happening for centuries but powerful witches are never turned.”

“Are you saying I can’t turn him?” Edward asked.

“Darias, the God of Blood told me it was my destiny to become a vampire and that Edward was destined to change me,” I said.

“Did he?” Brendan asked. The smile was gone from his face. “What did Isis have to say about losing another witch?”

“She doesn’t lose the witches when they’re turned,” I said. “They’re still witches they’re just vampires as well.”

“Caster, what do you think of this?” Brendan asked.

“I still have my power though it’s a lot stronger,” he said. “I assume I’ve got what I would have gotten from initiation if I were human and with my family.”

“Can you will the Gods to come to us now?” Brendan asked me.

Before I could say another word Isis and Darias flashed into the room. I stood and beheld them. Archie stared at them in shock. Edward’s eyes about popped out of his head. Brendan stepped back as if slapped. They stood looking at all of us for a long time. Then Darias said, “No one wills us to do anything. We are Gods and come and go as we please.”

“You are Darias, the God of Blood?” Brendan asked.

“He is,” said Jessup.

“Hello, Jessup,” Darias said, smiling and showing his own fangs.

“Hello, Darias,” Jessup said, smiling back.

“Beau speaks the truth,” Darias said. “It is his destiny to be turned by Edward.”

“And I don’t lose witches when they’re turned vampire,” Isis said. “They’re still witches.”

“Through this union one may come that may change everything,” Darias said.

“Caution, my son,” Isis said. “Do not say too much.”

“I shall not,” he said. “I’ve said what I will say on the matter.”

“Are you saying that through Beau there could be another The One?” Brendan asked.

“The One is your sire vampire who lies sleeping under this house currently,” Isis said. “There is only one of his kind.”

“Another Child of Apollo stalks Beau now,” Darias said. “His name is James and he is bent on killing Beau because he killed Victoria. Will you stand aside once again and let this take place or will you help Beau in his time of need?”

“We will help him,” Brendan said. “If we know about it in time.”

“This is where we leave you,” Isis said and they flashed out of the room as if they were never there.

“What a witch to be protected by Gods,” Brendan said, facing the council. “To have a vampire among us that can converse with the Gods and that the Gods favor is a favorable thing.” He turned to Edward. “When do you plan to turn him?”

“We plan to marry shortly after High School Graduation,” Edward said. “I’ll turn him on our wedding night if not soon after.”

“Go,” said Holden. “Make your preparations.”

“I expect an invitation to this wedding,” Brendan said.

Edward took my hand and he and Archie walked on either side of me as we left the room and the palace. We went to Gabriel’s car. We got in and Edward was on his phone to Gabriel telling him that they could all return to Babylon and that was where he was going. He told him that he and I were back together and stronger than ever. He told him that Gods had come to San Juan and told them that it was Beau’s destiny to be turned by him. He told him all that they had said.

We arrived in Babylon with the sunrise. Charlie was waiting for us when we returned. He was happy to see Edward, but I was being carried by him and I was asleep. Edward took me to my bedroom and undressed me. Then I climbed under the comforter and went to sleep for real. When I woke up he was there with me. Archie was downstairs with Charlie. Gabriel and the others would be there in a day or so. They had to pack and get ready to move again. I smiled at this.

“I have you back,” I said.

“You have me forever,” he said. “Jacob won’t be happy.”

“Jacob will have to be fine,” I said. “I am in love with you and that’s all there is to it.”

Archie had told Charlie all that had happened in San Juan even the Gods showing up and what they’d said. Charlie looked at me like he’d never seen me before. He had a million questions written all over his face but he didn’t ask them. He shook Edward’s hand and welcomed him back to the family. Gabriel and the others showed up two days later. I had a meeting with them where Roman thanked me formally for saving his brother. He told me that he considered me a brother as well. We hugged.

I went back to work and things went back to normal. I wasn’t spending any time at the reservation though. I’d called Emily and told her that Edward was back and that we were back together. She congratulated me and told me she’d see me when she saw me. That seemed good enough for me. I hadn’t heard from Jacob at all. School started again the following week and no one was shocked to see Edward, Archie, Jason, and Link in classes with them. They sat with the group at lunch and got to know everyone. Things were great for me now.

“We have to invite Brendan to the wedding,” Edward said one night in my room.

“That’s what he said,” I replied. “I don’t have any fear of Brendan. I’m surprised we haven’t heard from James.”

“James isn’t anywhere around here,” Edward said. “I talked to the wolves about it last night. They’re patrolling but haven’t seen James in a while.”

Then Lauren disappeared. Her parents filed a missing person report with Charlie but she was nowhere to be found. I thought I knew where she was but I was keeping my mouth shut. Jacob finally showed up to talk to me and Edward one day. He told us that he’s lifted the restriction and we hadn’t come to the reservation. I told him we’d be there that Saturday. He smiled at this and left us alone. Edward said he was a little nervous about showing up at the reservation. I told him that Jacob wasn’t his father and that the tribe was ready for the integration.

That Saturday there was a bonfire in the clearing. We sat with Emily and Sam who accepted Edward with open arms. They even had bottled blood for Edward to drink. Of course it was cow’s blood but he didn’t bat an eye at that. We had a good time at the bonfire and left shortly after it was over. Edward said he’d had a good time. And things went on. School was going great for both of us. Our classes were all right. The kids at school had accepted me and Edward pretty much which was good because I planned to invite a lot of them to the wedding.

Then people began to disappear in Corpus Christie. Young men and women were disappearing at a rapid pace. Something was happening in Corpus that astounded the vampires. I wasn’t sure what was happening but in my mind I thought James was responsible. Archie said he hadn’t seen James in his visions and whoever was taking the people in Corpus Christie was staying out of the action. He couldn’t see that either. Edward was worried about that. Gabriel was worried about that. But life went on.

We geared up for prom and I was shocked to be nominated for Prom King. Edward was as well so I thought he’d get it. Finals were around the corner and then graduation would happen. I was almost out of time as a human and I was nervous about it for some reason. Charlie was happy that I rented a tuxedo for the event. Of course Edward bought his. Jason and Link were going to prom as well. They even had dates. They were calling this prom “A Night in the Stars”. Metal stars had been cut in shop class and they were suspended from the ceiling in the gym, reflecting the lights and making the room sparkle. We dressed in our tuxes and Edward hired a limo to take us to Prom. We arrived and had our picture taken. The photographer didn’t bat an eye at two boys posing for a romantic picture. He just took the picture and gave us package prices. Of course we both bought huge packages.

They had tables set up and there was a long one with cake and punch. Of course someone had spiked the punch but I drank it anyway. I just sipped it slow and didn’t have a lot. Edward smiled at this. We danced and mingled with the other students. We commented on this girl’s dress or that girl’s. We congratulated some of them for this or that. Then it was time to vote for King and Queen. We sat down and marked our ballots. I voted for Edward and he voted for me. The votes were counted and then Mr. Varner was on stage with the results. I got ready to cheer for Edward but they announced that I was King and Angela was Queen. I was shocked but I walked up to the stage and got crowned, received my scepter and sat on the throne. Angela was all smiles as they put the crown on her head and handed her the roses. She sat and our picture was taken. Then we were supposed to dance. We did that and then went back to our dates.

It was a good night and I spent that night with the Maxwells. Charlie had even given consent for it. I slept in Edward’s bed with him and we made love twice. Then we slept and in the morning he cooked breakfast for me. I went home around two that afternoon. I didn’t have to work at Petals that day so I was at a loss. I did figure out that certain things were missing from my room. My red t-shirt with the eagle on it was gone. My throw pillow that I usually put between my knees was gone, and my pajamas were gone. I called Edward and before I knew it he was standing in my room.

“Someone’s been here,” he said. “A Child of Apollo did this.”

“Why?” I asked. “They didn’t kill Charlie.”

“That’s a conundrum,” he said. “Come to the house tonight and we’ll talk about this.”

That night we talked about the fact that a Child of Apollo had walked into my house and taken my stuff. The others were disturbed by this news. Archie was beside himself because he hadn’t seen it. Edward was a little mad at Archie for not looking harder into my future. Archie told him to back off that he was doing all he could. Even Jasper got a little upset with Edward for what he’d said to Archie. Then we had a meeting with the wolves. We told them that a Child of Apollo was in my house while we were at Prom. This shocked them but they weren’t guarding the house while we were at prom. They were guarding the school. That made sense so Edward didn’t get upset. They’d been doing their job and the Children of Apollo had waited for their chance and took it.

Instead of figuring out who my visitor had been we took final exams. We did well on them and now we were gearing up for graduation. It was here. I was about to graduate high school. Then the wedding would happen and I would be a vampire. It was all coming fast, much faster than I liked. Of course I said none of this to Edward. I just went along with everyone and did what I was supposed. Archie was planning a graduation party for the night of graduation. I stayed out of that. I knew they were doing it because Edward had said he wanted me to have all of the high school experiences.

When I was getting ready for graduation I put it all together in a way that made terrible sense and scared the life out of me. James, the missing clothes and pillow, the disappearances in Corpus Christi it was all connected. I had to tell someone but who? Edward would flip out. Roman? No, he’d tell Edward. Archie was who I could tell. I pulled him aside at the gym and quickly told him all about what I had reasoned. His eyes grew large. Then we were called to get in line. I was at the back of the line with a last name like Swan I was always at the back of the line.

I walked across the stage and got my diploma. I posed for Charlie’s and Renee’s pictures then I posed for Elfric and Gabriel’s pictures. Then I got out of my cap and gown and headed for House Maxwell. I drove straight there with a wolf following me. I got there unscathed and I was the first of the graduates besides Edward, Jason, and Link to arrive. The place was set up like a rave. The lights were dim and it was just enough to see where you were going and across the room. I got punch that wasn’t spiked and stood with Edward.

“How did he keep you out?” I asked.

“He was reciting the periodic table,” he said. “What’s going on?”

“I figured something out,” I said. Then I laid it all out for him. He listened to all that I had to say and then he walked away from me. It wasn’t the reaction that I was expecting but then suddenly Jacob, Quill, and Emory were in the house.

Jacob had made me a wolf charm and I tied it on my wrist and thanked him. I got them punch and introduced them to a few people. Then I went in search of Edward. I found him and Archie talking in the kitchen. I walked up to them and they looked at me and kept on talking. It seemed once I put it in perspective Archie could see. He looked disturbed by what he saw and Edward was agitated. Unbeknownst to me Jacob and his friends had followed me into the kitchen.

“They’ll be here Saturday,” Archie said. “One of them had your red shirt and was handing it around so everyone could get your scent.”

“What does this mean?” Jacob asked, startling me.

“Children of Apollo are coming to Babylon to kill Beau,” Edward said. “Fifteen of them.”

I had  my phone in my hand and called San Juan. I told Brendan all that Archie had said. He told me that four vampires and ten Forsaken were now about to head to Babylon. I thanked him and hung up. I told the others what was going on. Archie’s eyes got large. Edward cursed. Jacob asked what it meant. I told him it meant the battle would be fought in the clearing by the reservation boarder. That members of the council would be here to help and that ten of them would be morphed Forsaken.

“We’re in,” Jacob said with a smile. “The pack will fight.”

“No,” I said. “You don’t know what you’re getting into.”

“Relax, Beau this is what we do,” he said. “At least we’ll get to kill some vampires.”

The next day I told Charlie and Kale everything. They listened to everything I had to say before they said anything. Then they had many questions about how we knew about it. I told them that once I had laid it all out for Archie he could suddenly see what was happening. The knowledge was the final piece of the puzzle for him. They didn’t like it. I didn’t like it, but it was going to happen on Saturday when the sun went down. I told them about the council sending four vampires and ten Forsaken to help us in the fight. That made Charlie sit back and stare at me like he’d never seen me before.

“How do you rate to get that many?” he asked.

“I’m the hybrid,” I said. “Right now I’m a human, witch, and Forsaken Hybrid. Soon I’ll be a human, witch, Forsaken, Vampire Hybrid. I’ll be the first of my kind. They protect those.”

In truth they didn’t know anything about my being a hybrid of any kind. I just needed to keep Charlie from thinking too much about it. It was because of the Gods. Charlie didn’t need to know that Gods were on my side. That would be too much for even him. I wanted him and Kale as far from the battle as possible. He countered with his wanting me as far from the battle as possible. I told him that wasn’t an option because they had my scent and would follow me. That seemed to make him angry.

I told him about the vampire that had come in while I was with the Maxwells. He was surprised to learn that the vampire had been in the house while he slept and that it hadn’t hurt him. Kale had still been at the store doing inventory. I told him that the vampire stole things that had my scent on them so that the others could find me quickly. He said that was just too much. I told him that I wouldn’t be at the battle but on the mountain in a tent with one of the tribal wolves. He seemed only slightly mollified by this revelation.

“Dad I have to be on that mountain,” I said. “I have to be close to the battle so I know the moment they kill James and end this for me.”

“You have to be there,” he said. “But I’d feel much better about that if Edward was with you instead of one of the tribal wolves.”

“I have been thinking about saying something to Edward about that very issue,” I said. “I hate myself for what I’m going to have to say to him though. I will essentially be asking him to let his brothers fight this battle without him just to keep me sane while it’s happening.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Charlie said.

“Of course you don’t find anything wrong with it but think of it from Edward’s perspective,” I said. “He won’t be there with his brothers who are so far counting on him to be with them. He’s going to have to tell them that he will not fight with them. Instead he’s going to stay in the tent with me.”

I did have something to tell Edward. He wouldn’t like either option but I had to do it. I felt retched and awful but I had to do it. I did it that afternoon in my room when he came to be with me. I looked into his icy blue eyes and sighed. Did I have the courage to do this? I mean I’d lost him once already. I couldn’t stand to even think about losing him again. I had to do it. I had to tell him how I felt or I would go insane and do something rash. He wouldn’t like that either.

“You told me that with the tribal wolves, the Council’s vampires and Forsaken, and your brothers this is an easy fight, right?” I asked.

“Beau you have nothing to worry about,” he assured me with a smile. “It’s going to be fine.”

“Well what if I was on the field?” I asked. “I have gifts of my own, remember?”

“That’s out of the question,” he said. “You being there would point them all at you. It would make it harder to defend you.”

“Either I’m on the field or it’s such an easy fight that you can sit it out with me on the mountain,” I said. There I’d said part of it.

“You would have me abandon my family in this fight?” he asked, looking shocked.

“Edward I lost you once already,” I said, playing the retched, awful card. “I can’t bear to even think of losing you again. I can’t. I’ll go mad. Edward I’ll go mad.”

He hugged me and held me close. I was shaking but it wasn’t because I was scared to lose him. It was because I felt so retched and awful for what I’d said. The faces of his entire family ran through my mind and I shook further. He tightened his embrace. I felt so terrible and so manipulative. I hated that I’d said it but I needed him. I needed him so bad that I thought if I had lost him again I’d go to pieces and never be able to put myself back together. He pulled away from me and pulled out his phone. He talked for a moment and then hung up.

“I’ll stay with you in the tent on the mountain,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” I said. I truly was.

“Don’t be,” he said. “You told me what you could live with and I chose what I could live with. It’s called a comprise. Don’t ever be afraid to tell me what you need, Beau.”

With school out for the summer, well for us forever I was back to working every day at the store. I had weekends off which was to the good because I had a battle to be a part of on Saturday. I went to work and thought about all that had happen and would happen in the coming days. I was going to be hunted by sixteen Children of Apollo counting James. The Council Di Vampire was sending four vampires and ten Forsaken to help us in this fight. Hell they could be here already. They would probably contact the Maxwells to let them know they were in town. But that’s not what happened. A man came into the flower shop. He was tall with muscles all over the place. He gave off a feeling of violence that I recognized. This was a Forsaken.

“My name is Royce and I’m here to tell you that The Council Di Vampire is here for you,” he said. “We’ve taken over Babylon’s only hotel and will be ready to fight on Saturday. We’ll get with Gabriel and his brood to figure out the best strategy when it comes to the Children of Apollo.”

“Thank you for coming,” I said.

“Beau, you are very special to us,” he said. “We will fight for your survival so that you may become an immortal.”

“Thank you for telling me that you’ve all arrived,” I said. “Should I call Edward and let him know you’re here?”

“No,” he said. “Our second stop will be to Gabriel to let them know we’re here. You were the first stop.”

“Very well,” I said for lack of anything else to say. He was blowing my mind.

“Well I’ll be off,” he said. “Allow me to tell you that you smell like one of us.”

“I get that a lot,” I said, smiling.

“Farewell Beau,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon,” I said.

Then he was gone. I felt better knowing that they were here for me and not just the Maxwells. That said something. Kale came out from the back and looked at me. He didn’t say anything for the longest time. Then he came to stand beside me. He put his arms around me and held me tight. He just held me. I didn’t know what this was about but I allowed it. Then he finally let go of me. He looked at me some more and then sighed. He put his hands on the counter and started to talk.

“Five years ago I was in a relationship with Mikey Maxwell,” he said. “I loved him and still do. He wanted to turn me but I refused. He left me.”

“I’m sorry, Kale,” I said.

“That’s not why I’m telling you this,” he said. “I regret every day that I refused. I would have a very different life if I had accepted. I know that. The Council Di Vampire has come to defend you against Children of Apollo. That’s something. The Council doesn’t protect anyone in this way, Beau. They govern and react. That they came for you means they really think highly of you.”

“They want me to become an immortal,” I said.

“I can see that,” he said. “We won’t tell your father about this. He goes back and forth about you becoming an immortal. Beau you have to understand that he loves you and he had other hopes and dreams for you.”

“I do understand that, Kale,” I said. “I know that he had other hopes and dreams for me but this is what we have. It’s where I am in my life and I’ve made my decision.”

“I’m not trying to sway your decision,” he said. “I’m telling you that I’m proud to be your uncle. I wish that I could go back and say yes when I said no and have the life that I could’ve had if I’d said yes.”

“Do you want me to contact Mikey?” I asked. “I can you know.”

“Do that,” he said. “Maybe it’s not too late for me after all.”

“You’re too old to be a fledgling,” I said. “You’d have to be a drone.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” he said. “Hold off on contacting him. Now I have something else to think about.”

“I’m sorry but that’s the rule,” I said.

“I know and on some level I knew that all along,” he said. “Maybe it’s just the Council coming to defend you that’s got me thinking of Mikey.”

“Maybe,” I said. “I’m not looking forward to Saturday.”

“I wouldn’t think you would be looking forward to it, but Beau you will survive this battle,” he said. “You’re father has dreamt about it. He says that you will be fine.”

“What of the others?” I asked.

“He didn’t say anything about the others,” he said. “He only said that you will be fine.”

Then Archie Maxwell was in the store. He came to me and waited while I talked with Kale. Then he asked me a question that startled me. “Beau are you still wanting to be a vampire?”

“Of course I am, why?” I asked, confused.

“Because my vision changed,” he said. “You’re still an immortal in it but you’re not a vampire. Beau I saw you morph into a wolf.”

“I don’t want to be Forsaken,” I said.

“It wasn’t like a Forsaken morph,” he said. “The wolf comes out of them like a parasite exiting their bodies. With you it was like you shimmered and then you were a wolf. The wolf wasn’t big like the Forsaken or the Tribal Wolves. It was sleek like a real wolf.”

“I don’t know what that vision means,” I said. “I don’t know another kind of wolf.”

“The werewolves didn’t look like that either,” he said. “I’m confused by what I saw. I don’t understand it. In my experience I’ve not come across a wolf like that. I don’t know what it is.”

“Have you told Edward about this?” I asked.

“No,” he said. “I came to you first.”

“Keep it between us for now,” I said. “You should know that Royce from the Council Di Vampire was here to let me know that they have arrived and taken over the hotel here in town.”

“They came to you?” he asked, looking completely confused.

“He said I was very important to them,” I said.

“This just gets worse and worse,” he said, putting a hand to his head. “They never do things this way. Well, they never protect. They always react to a broken rule.”

“That’s what Kale told me,” I said.

“Edward told us he won’t be part of the fight but will be with you in the tent on the mountain,” he said, looking at me hard.

“It’s what I could live with,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Beau you’re worried about nothing,” he said. “Brendan told me that our kind have been killing the Children of Apollo for centuries. There aren’t many of them left now.”

“So that’s supposed to make me feel better?” I asked. “Archie I lost Edward once. I can’t stand to think about losing him again. Please understand.”

“I do understand,” he said. “If it was Jasper in this situation I’d have done the same thing you did. I understand it. It just amazes me that you thought of it.”

“I love him like I’ve never loved anything in my life,” I said. “When I lost him I nearly broke. If it weren’t for the Gods and the tribe I’d have broken. I won’t survive losing him again.”

“Such things you say,” he said, smiling. “I really only came because of my vision. I don’t understand it.”

That night I was part of a ritual that confounded me. Caster Maxwell from the Council Di Vampire suggested it. We were in the clearing where the battle would be fought. Archie and Edward were there. Dad and Kale were there. Caster cast a circle and the witches called the corners. I was taught to call the corner from the South. Then they burned something in a bowl and added hair from each of us. Then they chanted in a strange language that I didn’t know but soon realized was French. We moved clockwise around the circle and then finally we threw our hands up and the energy flowed through us like a tidal wave. It knocked me to my knees. Elfric was there to give us chocolate and something to drink.

Then he set candles around the circle and told me to light them. It was so easy to light the candles and the night was broken by the light of the candles. We sat around the circle and said what we wanted to happen in the battle. I said that I wanted it to be simple and over before I knew it. Edward smiled at this. He said he wanted it to be swift and for his family to be safe. Charlie said that he wanted me to be safe. Kale said he wanted everyone to be safe. Archie said that he wanted to kill James.

The circle lit up like it was on fire. It swirled in a clockwise motion. Then before I could blink Isis was standing in the center of the circle. She smiled at me. I smiled back. It seemed they were all about to find out just how important to the Gods I was. She walked around the circle, touching each of us on the head as she walked. When she got to me she had me stand. I stood and she put a hand to my chest and I felt energy flowing into me. She smiled again and took her hand away.

“You will be victorious, Beau,” she said. “The power I have given you will serve you in ways that it won’t serve most uninitiated. You are the true hybrid. Archie’s visions are of the type of hybrid you will become after you are turned. You won’t just be a vampire. You aren’t currently just a witch. You’re the Human, Witch, Forsaken Hybrid. The one we never intended to create. When you are turned you’ll add a layer to your Hybrid Nature. You’ll be a Human, Witch, Forsaken, Vampire Hybrid. You will be a being that so far doesn’t exist. That’s why Archie’s visions are so confusing. He is seeing something that never existed coming into existence.”

“So I’ll still be one of your children?” I asked. This was important to me.

“Beau, when a witch becomes a vampire that witch doesn’t suddenly become dead to me,” she said, smiling. “I still give them the power of a witch because no matter what they become they were a witch first. You will always be a child of Isis. You are a child of Darias and a Child of Ren. By default you are a child of Poseidon. You are a child of Elle. You are the perfect Hybrid. You will make more. Your species will thrive. It is beautiful to behold.”

“I love you,” I said and meant it.

“As we love and cherish you,” she said. “I’ll leave you now.”

She flashed out of the circle and everyone began to move. Edward came to me he held me for a long moment and then asked, “What did she say to you that we couldn’t hear?”

“If you couldn’t hear it then it wasn’t for you to know,” I said. “She told the future. She told me that I would be immortal.” I turned to Archie. “Your vision makes sense to me now.”

“At least it makes sense to one of us,” Archie said. It must have flashed through his mind because Edward stiffened beside me for a moment.

“I don’t understand,” he said. “I thought you wanted me to turn you.”

“I do,” I said. “That is what I will become. Edward you know that I can morph though I shouldn’t. That morph isn’t complete. I can’t get to the wolf because I’m not immortal. The transformation would kill me. Once I am immortal I will be able to fully morph.”

“That’s what Archie saw?” he asked.

“That’s what Archie saw,” I said. “This is part of what Isis told me that you couldn’t hear. I’m a Hybrid, Edward. I’m the only Hybrid in existence. The other is asleep beneath the Palace Di Vampire.”

“So you’re like Eric?” he asked.

“No,” I said. “There isn’t another like me anywhere in the world. I am one of a kind. I’m the Hybrid that the Gods did not intend to create.”

Caster unmade the circle. We cleaned up our mess and we left. I went with Dad and Kale. They had many questions. I answered them the best that I could. Charlie looked at me for a long moment before he asked if I was all right with what I was. I told him I was fine with who and what I was. I told him that I loved him for fathering me. I told him that it was the marriage of his lines and Renee’s lines that created me. He said he hadn’t known that there were supernatural beings in Renee’s line. I told him there were Forsaken in her line. There were witches in his and Super Drones. He asked what a Super Drone was and I explained. He shivered at the explanation.

Edward was with me in my room that night. He had questions as well. He didn’t understand that his turning me would allow me to morph completely. I explained it again slowly. I went through almost every part of what Isis has said to me. When I was finished he still looked troubled. I asked him what had him looking like that.

“We still won’t be the same species,” he said. “I’ll be a vampire and you’ll still be a hybrid.”

“Well after I’m immortal maybe it will be my turn to change you,” I said, smiling.

“I’ll think on that,” he said. “I’ve been a vampire for over a hundred years. It’s all I know.”

“Well once I’m turned and you see what I become you can make your decision,” I said. “We have a battle to fight before any of this can happen.”

Edward was a bit distant toward me for the remaining days that led up to the battle. I was worried about it but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. The Council’s Forsaken had instruction for our Forsaken and that took place in the clearing. Sometimes I was there for it and sometimes I wasn’t. It was brutal and they were savagely beating each other. It was a good thing that they healed as quickly as a vampire. Otherwise they’d be no good to me during the battle. I thought of it as my battle because in a large way it was. This was all about me. James wanted me dead. The others were for those who would come to my aid. I wasn’t stupid. I knew what he was planning. I just hoped he didn’t have a vampire on his side that knew what I was planning.

That Saturday morning Jacob picked me up and carried me up the mountain. This was so that I left as little of my scent as possible. He told me that he was getting used to the fact that a certain type of vampire wanted me dead. He said he’d fight to save me. I told him to be careful. He laughed at this. We arrived at the tent and he sat me on my feet. Edward was waiting for me. It was a bit chilly up here but I had my winter coat from Illinois. We sat in the tent with flashlights and Jacob joined us.

“Why is the council here?” he asked Edward.

“You’d have to ask Beau,” he said. “He’s the one who called them.”

“They’re here to help,” I said. “The Forsaken will fight alongside our Forsaken and their vampires will join ours to fight the throng.”

There wasn’t much said after that. The sun started to sink and with it my confidence began to die. Edward could see it so he took me in his arms and held me. When the sun was finally out of the sky I could hear them down there. They were marching toward our people like soldiers. Then I saw movement outside the tent flap. That was Jacob morphing and running to join the fight. Seth stayed with us to be the radio to the fight. I almost laughed at that but he began to growl. Edward and I exited the tent. The crises wasn’t down there it was here. As I watched Lauren walked out of the trees.

“Lauren,” Edward said. “James is just using you. He doesn’t love you. He loved a vampire named Victoria that Beau killed to save his own life. That’s what this is about. He wants revenge for Victoria’s death. That’s who he loves. He doesn’t love you.”

“He told me you would tell lies,” she said. Her voice irritated me. Before I could do anything Seth launched at her. She was dead  moments later. He took her head. Then James made his appearance. He walked right out of the trees like he belonged in this forest.

“You’ve assembled an army to take down my warriors,” he said, smiling. “Smart. But did you think I was stupid? I followed Edward’s scent because I knew he’d be with you. It’s time for you to die.”

Edward shot forward and James met him in the middle of the clearing. It was like a bomb went off. The sound was almost deafening. They grappled with each other in the air as I watched. Seth was pulling Lauren’s body apart. Edward threw James to the ground and he crawled toward me. Edward was on him again. This time he had his arm wrapped around James’s neck. He was trying to pull his head from his shoulders but James spun them and then he had his arm around Edward’s neck. I chose that moment to act. I walked closer and James laughed.

“Let him go,” I said. I did not beg. I ordered.

“I get to kill both of you tonight,” he replied.

“No, you don’t,” I said. “I will kill you and you will let go of Edward.”

He let go and stood. Edward stood too. He looked at me and I nodded. He came to stand beside me. The power that Isis had instilled in me last night came raging out. It was fire like I’d never used fire before. It flowed from me and enveloped James. He screamed and twisted but the fire consumed him. I watched it happen in awe. He turned grey and then black. He began to scream so loud that it hurt my ears. Then he was ash on the ground and I lost consciousness.

I came to in the clearing where the battle had been fought. I stood up and assessed the vampires and Forsaken around me. The Forsaken were all naked having freshly returned to human. The Council Di Vampire was handing out sets of clothes to them. We stood in a circle and looked at the fires burning all around the clearing. We had been successful and none of our people had been killed. Jacob had been seriously hurt but he wasn’t dead and wouldn’t die from his injuries. Seth went with the Tribal Wolves when they headed for the reservation. I simply stood there looking at the vampires and Forsaken that stood before me.

Brendan stepped forward. He was dressed all in black but it was the first time I’d ever seen him wear a shirt. He shook my hand and smiled, showing his fangs. He said, “Now is the time that I ask you to join the council when you become immortal. You are a Hybrid and we don’t have one of those on the council.”

“I’ll change one of you so you have one on the council,” I said. “I’m not interested in joining the council, Brendan. I understand your roll in the scheme of the savage garden and I am happy to know that you sit there in San Juan keeping the peace and punishing the guilty. I just don’t want to be a part of it. I have a family here.”

“I thought that’s what you would say,” he said. “When you are immortal we’ll meet again and we will decide which of our ranks will become Hybrids.”

“That’s all I can ask,” I said, smiling.

“This battle was fast and furious,” he said. “I’ve never seen them in such numbers. We kill them when we encounter them most of the time. You’ll understand it once you’re immortal.”

“I understand it now,” I said. “Darias hates Apollo and by extension all of his children. It’s the same way in reverse for Apollo. He hates Darias and all of his children. It makes perfect sense to me.”

“This is where we leave you,” Brendan said. “Know that you are considered a valuable being to the Council Di Vampire. We will come whenever you call for us.”

“Thank you, Brendan,” I said. “Go in peace and we shall clean up the mess.”

“Farewell, Hybrid,” he said. Then they were all gone and it was just us. We tended the fires that raged almost all night.

Suddenly Charlie and Kale were in the clearing. Charlie hugged me fiercely. He’d been unsure that I would survive the night. He looked at the piles of burning vampires and shook his head. He looked me up and down but I had no injuries. James hadn’t touched me. He hugged me again and told me that he thought he’d lost me. I held him tight and told him I was fine. The piles of burning vampires became ash as the sun broke through the clouds. There was nothing to clean up. The wind took care of that. Suddenly I was standing in the center of an ash wind. I looked at Edward and he looked at me. He came to me and took me into his arms.