Octavia Butler once said, "Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over." As a child, I had no idea what that statement meant, but as I grew older and wiser, with the stern, yet caring touch of my mother to guide me, I learned to appreciate that statement. Once I was old enough to understand, I began to question my own destiny...
Destiny. We all find ourselves kneeling at the hands of Destiny at one time or another in mercilessly long lives. We all find ourselves loathing our heritage, longing for something to give. In some cases, our lives change forever. In others, our lives remain the same, always consistent, always boring lives.
My name is Storm. I am the daughter of Evanna and Vancha March – granddaughter of Desmond Tiny himself. In a way, I am the niece of Gannen Harst. My heritage confuses me, even after all these years. In easy terms, I am one-third vampire, one-third Evanna – witch? - one-third vampaneze. For the first fourteen years of my life, I lived with my mother, in the middle of the woods, learning her ways, whereas my half-twin-brother, Skye, lived with his father and uncle (my dad!) learning the ways of the rulers of the night.
That changed about two years ago, when Vancha came to collect me, bringing me to Vampire Mountain, where I have since learned more than I care to remember. In that time, these last two years, I've spent endless hours training, endless hours learning the ways of the vampires, and endless hours under my father's watchful eye.
"Feet planted on the ground, hands out! Storm, we've been over this a million times!" Vanez Blane barked after I once again failed to spin out of the way of his hands. Though Vanez has been blind for the better part of 30 years, he still is as sharp as anyone with both eyes!
"I'm sorry!" I yelped, ducking. I was tired, I ached from being knocked around, and worst, I had a monster of a headache. I repositioned myself and waited for him to continue the lesson.
"That's right, timing, Storm! Timing is everything!" he growled as I flew past his hands, narrowly avoiding his blow. I was breathless, my vision blurred from exhaustion. Oh, what I'd give for my mother's energy.
By the luck of the Vampire Gods, Vancha found us a short time later and told Vanez that was enough training for one night. I eagerly made my way through the long, twisted halls to retrieve my regular clothes from my cell. I dressed quickly, pulling the dark red dress over my head, letting my long, amber hair fall down my back as I slipped my mink fur throw around my shoulders.
"You look too pretty to be a vampire," a voice chimed. I spun around to see Skye standing in the archway.
"Old habits die hard," I shrugged. "How's Gannen?" I asked with a soft smile.
"Well. How was your training? I heard Vanez ripped you a new one," he laughed softly.
"I'd rather have mom teaching me how to breed toads!" I yelped. "Any news on the missing Vampaneze?" I asked.
"Yeah. I guess Mika managed to direct a handful of Generals in an effort to find them. Luck have it, they did," he nodded. "Speaking of the sullen Prince, did Vancha tell you that they wanted to see you?"
"No, but I assumed as much when he relieved me of my training. Normally he lets Vanez push me till I drop!" I sighed as I made my way to where my father was waiting. "Skye says the Princes want to see me?" I asked.
"Aye. But not yet. Let's eat first," he suggested.
"I'm not hungry," I sighed tiredly. "Can't we just go see what they want?"
"You know that's not how it works," he scolded.
"Nothing's as it was since the clans rejoined, Dad, you know that," I sighed. I walked ahead of him, smiling at those we passed along the way. Skye followed behind, his eyes locking warily on mine whenever I turned around.
"So what's going on, Dad?" I asked, chewing on what looked like a cow bone.
"There's a lot that has to be discussed. But we'll wait until we're in the Hall of Princes, alright?" he said, pushing my questions aside.
"Fine," I grumbled. Instead, I turned my attention to Skye, who looked miserable. "What's wrong?" I asked my half-brother gently.
"Nothing," he grunted, slurping down his bowl of bat broth.
"Something's wrong," I pushed.
"Nothing, Storm, geez," he snapped. I flinched and excused myself, telling Vancha that he could find me outside the Hall of Kheledon Lurt. I sat down against the cool stone walls and waited, thinking about life.
The War of Scars ended a few months before my brother and I were born. Both the Vampaneze Lord – Steve Leonard – and Darren Shan, who was the youngest Vampire Prince to date, who was rumored to become the Lord of Shadows had he lived to see the end of the War, died, bringing the war to a brutal standstill. Our grandfather, Desmond Tiny, decided to force our mother into mating with either a Vampaneze or a Vampire, and said child would determine the outcome of the war. But since she decided to mate with both Vancha and Gannen, thus making Skye and myself a hybrid of a sense, the war ended with a truce on both sides.
Since the war, the Vampires and the Vampaneze have worked hard to come to terms on an agreement both sides could live with. The first change was the whole draining a human of blood every time they fed, situation. To everyone's surprise, the Vampaneze agreed to limit their feedings, in return, the Vampires could not interfere when they did feed. It wasn't the ideal agreement, but it worked. Other changes had been made too, but one still held. The remaining three vampire Princes still held command over all, and still protected the Stone of Blood. Arrow, Mika Ver Leth, and my father, Vancha March. Though most of the Vampaneze were willing to agree to said terms, some still weren't as willing.
Of those who opposed the current rules, was one of my best friends, a Vampaneze named Grovu Chan, a short, stocky man with beady eyes. He loathed Mika more than anyone and often spoke of his plan to eliminate the young prince. While I didn't agree with his nonsense, I humored him most nights. He was young and foolish, too stubborn to see that change was good. Even Arrow, who was not a fan of change, agreed that the time for change was upon us. We were no longer bound by Demond's games, or at least, we didn't think we were.
"Storm, let's go," Skye ushered as he walked up to me, his eyes masking all emotion. I knew something was bothering him, but couldn't exactly place it.
"Alright. Where's my dad?" I asked, turning quickly to look for him.
"He'll meet us there. C'mon, let's not make Mika wait," he said, pulling me to my feet roughly.
"Hang on!" I yelped, pulling away. "What the hell is going on?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.
"You'll see. Come on already, Storm. Geez, you're slower than a human infant!" he growled.
"Mika knows I'll be there, calm the fuck down!" I growled. I pulled out of his rough grip and stormed back into the Hall of Kheledon Lurt. I looked around and saw my father standing against the far wall, talking to two of the younger Generals in a hushed tone. I waited for him to finish talking before waving him over.
"Storm Darlene March, what are you doing here? Didn't Skye tell you to report to the Hall of Princes nearly fifteen minutes ago?" he growled. I lowered my gaze and nodded. It was extremely rare for my father to use my full name, much less in an angry tone. "Then why are you here?" he repeated.
"Because Skye wasn't telling me anything, and I don't go anywhere without knowing what I'm walking into!" I hissed stubbornly.
"Hall. Now!" he growled, slapping at my arms, forcing me forward like a wounded puppy. I hurriedly pushed past Skye, who was smirking hugely, before making my way straight for the hall.
I stood still as I was patted down, an old tradition that has yet to be outdated. Once I was cleared, I waited until I was called forward.
An hour later, I was face to face with a very angry looking Mika Ver Leth!
I stood before him, not nearly as scared as I was two years ago. Mika was intimidating, cold, and sort of scary, but beneath the facade, he was a kind individual. Or at least, the Mika I knew was.
"You kept us waiting," he scolded, a deep frown forming on his lips.
"I don't like walking into something without knowing what I'm walking into," I shrugged.
"Just because you are Lady Evanna's daughter, does not make you exempt from our laws," he growled. Arrow sat in silence beside him. Normally, one Prince was always to be absent in the case anything were to happen to the other two, but since Vancha dragged me all the way to the mountain two years ago, what with it being so close to Council, especially since this Council in particular is so important, the Princes decided to all be in attendance, what with Paris Skyle and Darren Shan both dying during the war, the former, due to old age, the other, in what has since been deemed the Final Battle. Rumors were spreading that a new, possibly Vampaneze, Prince would be named during this Council, but no such news has yet come from the Princes themselves.
"I never said I was exempt from the laws," I challenged. "But nor will I walk blindly."
"This is exactly the kind of -" Mika started, only to be silenced by Arrow, who shook his head.
"She's the daughter of our fellow Prince, Mika. She's only been around our kind for two years. Let's not forget who raised her," he said in a calm tone. I growled at his comment, but held my tongue.
"Regardless, you've had two years to train with some of the best of our kind. You've lived with Evanna for far longer, probably learning tricks we'll never understand. We have spoken with Vancha, and decided it was time you prove yourself," Mika said carefully.
"Prove myself? Isn't my existence proof enough? My brother and I are the reason the war ended!" I exclaimed, completely stunned by what he was saying.
"Your brother completed the trials two years ago," Arrow reminded me. It was true. Skye was asked to complete them when he turned 14.
"But, but..." I sighed. "Fine, but only under one condition! And I'm sure my father and my mother would agree on the condition!" I growled.
"Let me guess," Mika smiled. "In the case you fail, you cannot be killed?"
"Exactly!" I snapped. I was confused when both Arrow and Mika laughed at my tone. "What?"
"Child, even if we wanted to uphold tradition, it is out of our control. Your grandfather would wipe us off the face of earth if we tried such a thing," Arrow laughed.
"So if I fail, but live, I won't be dropped on the stakes?" I asked, bewildered.
"No," Mika smirked. "It's all just for formality. You'll choose your first trial tomorrow," he added.
"Fair enough," I sighed. I was about to leave when Mika stopped me.
"There's one more thing, Storm," he said, his tone emotionless.
"What?" I asked, not entirely thrilled at whatever that could be.
"With council so close, Arrow, your father, and I are curious, have you decided on a mate yet?" Mike asked.
I was stunned. My mother had warned me that I would be expected to mate at some point. That it was my duty to fulfill that obligation. But unlike the rest, she understood that I wanted to wait until the timing was right, just as she had.
"No, it won't be this decade," I said dully. "I have no intents to mate any time in the near future," I clarified.
"Fair enough," Arrow nodded, a disappointed look upon his face. With that, they bid me farewell.
In a rush, I ran through the mountain, practically crashing right into Skye, who looked upset.
"Watch wh-...oh it's you," he said with a sigh. "Did they sentence you to the trials?"
"Yeah," I nodded.
"Better pray to the Gods you don't end up with the Hall of Fire or the Aqua Maze," he shook his head.
"I can swim," I pointed out.
"Doesn't matter. It's harder than anything I've done before," he sighed again. "And the last four Generals to pull the Hall of Fire died."
"You're no good at keeping a girl calm, you know you?" I growled.
"It's not my job, baby sister," he teased with a soft smile.
"I'm a minute younger than you!" I yelped, throwing myself at him. He laughed and sprung to his feet, nearly causing me to crash face first into the wall.
"A minute's all it takes," he teased.
I swatted him away, grinning hugely as he took a swing at me. I dodged his blow then darted after him as he turned to run off. It seemed almost innocent as we rushed past our fellow vampires and vampaneze, our bodies fluidly moving through the halls that we know better than our own hands.
Despite both of us being far more grown than our actual ages, for that short period of time, we chased each other around the mountain, forgetting that we were the reason the war ended. That we reunited the two clans. That we changed destiny. For that short period of time, we were just two overgrown children, enjoying a few minutes of blissful playtime.
But as Robert Frost once wrote – nothing gold can stay.