BLOOD TIES

THE STUFF OF DREAMS

Chapter 4

As I ran toward the stench of black magic; I knew this was a bad idea. But I taken an oath, all the members of my family had, we had to take a stand against evil if it crossed our path. So far, whatever was evil had avoided us. But not tonight and I had to take a stand.

The source of the magic was near the middle of the park; Troy and I arrived and saw a lone man kneeling on the ground. But it was what I saw with my psychic powers that scared me. Surrounding him were several demons in spirit form. I heard the whispers they gave the man and realized several things at once.

The man was using the Selenity Chronicles to give flesh to the demons; and he was unaware of it. The man as possessed and it wasn't his fault.

"We can't kill the man," I told Troy and he nodded. "He's using the second book of the Chronicles."

And that's when it hit me; Troy wasn't here just to see me; he'd come for the Chronicles. "Father sent you for the books; this has nothing to do with me." I looked at him and met his gold eyes. He didn't say a word, but then he didn't have too; I knew it. I just knew it was true.

"Look out!" Someone shouted and I looked up; just in time to throw myself to the side and avoid an energy blast. I looked up from where I lay on the ground and saw Henry and Vicki with Mike, running toward us. Henry appeared at my side and helped me up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He snarled at me.

His eyes were black and his face was whiter than usual. I stared into the vampire's face and saw only a trace of Henry.

"Fitzroy, get her way from here."Troy had moved to stand in front of both of us.

Vicki and Mike managed to catch up and came to stand beside Henry. "Mike, Vicki, take her." Henry stood up and joined my brother. "We'll handle this."

Troy glared at the vampire, "You look after her, she's your responsibility."

Henry met Troy's glare with his own, "You can't do this by yourself, Noir. You're magic skill isn't that good."

"And you can help me?" Troy snapped.

"Who do you think taught your ancestors all they know?" Henry retorted coldly.

I could see where this was going and it wasn't good. "I can do it." I stood up and brushed the dirt off my velour suit. "I have the skill and the magic to seal the book and banish them."

"NO!" Was the unison reply I got from both men. "The only place you are going is home to rest." Henry ordered. Troy to my surprise, nodded in agreement.

"Neither one of you can do this!" I put my hands on my hips.

They looked at me. Troy spoke first, "You're not thinking clearly. Go home!"

"No." I shook my head, "I am oath-bound to help the man."

"As leader I can remove you from that; consider yourself removed."Troy countered.

Henry cut in, "You promised you would rest."

Before I could open my mouth to respond, Mike did it for me. "Ah, guys, that thing is looking at us."

We all turned our focus to the man with the book. He'd managed to give two demons flesh form. We were wasting valuable time. The two demons looked like normal men, except for the red eyes that glared out at us.

Troy cursed, "Clare, seal the book. Fitzroy, I hope you're in the mood for a fight." My brother shrugged off his coat and summoned his weapon. The sword appeared in his hand in a flash of gold light.

"Absolutely." Henry sprang on the man coming toward him. Snarls rose into the night air; Troy drew his sword and stepped into the man's path. There came the sounds of metal on metal.

I hurried to reach the man with the book; Mike and Vicki came with me. The man was still surrounded by several demons in spirit shape. I had to deal with them before I could seal the book. Vicki was straining to see. I brushed a hand across her shoulder and realized she was going blind. Her eyes were ill. I could help her. Glancing at the man with the book I sighed to myself. I grabbed Vicki's shoulder; she moved away but not before I healed her eyes. I let go and heard her gasp.

"What is it, Vicki?" Mike asked, worried.

I saw it then, he loved her. Honestly loved her. I had never had someone love me like that. Not once in my whole life. I watched as Vicki removed her glasses and stared wide-eyed at the night around her. Mike touched her hand and she smiled at him.

They didn't belong here; they deserved to be happy; this wasn't a place to be happy. Summoning my powers; I wrapped them both in protective magic and opened a teleport gap. Wind came from no where, shaking the trees and catching dirt and making it dance in the air.

"What are you doing?" Vicki asked; fighting against the draw to the hole.

"This isn't a place for you, Vicki." I waved my hand and she was thrown into the hole. Mike went with her. The magic I had put around them would protect them; they would end up at her home.

I turned my focus to the matter at hand. Another demon had taken flesh form. He was coming at me, running. I had to banish the others before we had an army on our hands. I didn't have much time. I recited the ancient words I had mastered as a child; the words filled the air with magic. Powerful magic that drew upon the energies of the five elements. The air was humming; all I had do to was focus it. Widening my stance I drew in a deep breath and grounded myself firmly. White light was beginning to form around my hands; the energy was drawn toward me and I had to focus it. In my mind I built the image of a great wind blowing the demons away; followed by a wave of cleansing energy to rid the area of their presence.

"Clare!"

I realized the demon was almost to me. One of the draw backs with high magic, it took time. I tried to move; but the energy I had used to root myself held fast. I was literally rooted to the earth. I fell to my knees and thrust my left hand outward. The white energy around my fist exploded outward and the man dissolved to nothing. I had no time left and thrust my right hand outward; the energy blast shook the trees; the ground trembled. There was a great clap of thunder over head as the energy met demons and went right through them. The man was screaming as the energy pushed the demon out of him. I felt the energy around my feet break and I pushed myself to my feet. I ran to him and knelt as he fell. I grabbed the book and my skin burned. As I watched, twin marks appeared on my inner wrists. They were there, all the time, but I used magic to hide them. They matched the marking on the front of the Selenity Chronicles.

The marks were found on all Noir born people; men and women. One of the first spells we learned was how to hide the markings. It was a mark of honour, power and heritage. There was only two other people in history who wore these marks. The first had been Merlin, the great magician from Arthurian legend; the second had been King Arthur himself.

The Selenity Chronicles were the books Merlin had written all his magic and knowledge into and given to Arthur before he walked into Avalon. Now the books belonged to my family.

I watched the marks flare bright white and the power exploded outward. I fell back and hit the ground, hard. Clutching the book to my chest as I heard someone yell in the distance; I fell away into darkness and wasn't afraid.

**

Henry ran to Clare and knelt down; he franticly searched for a pulse and found it. He put a hand to her abdomen and felt the child move. "They're both alive." Henry gathered Clare into his arms and stood up.

Troy was standing beside him; a dark look on his face. "She knew better then to touch the book."

Henry frowned at the man, "What?"

"Clare, she knew better then to touch the book when it was open. She could have sealed it from a distance; like she was taught."

Henry shook his head and made his way along the path. "You're not here because of what's happened to her; so you don't have to stay."

"You think I am going to walk away?" Troy snapped angrily. "No, that's what you're going to do."

Henry glared at him, "What?"

Troy shook his head, "Never mind."

"I am not going anywhere." Henry countered coldly.

They were near the city sidewalks; "Are you planning on carrying her home?" Troy asked, "I think the cops would have something to say about that."

"My car is near the gate; if anybody asks, she fainted." Henry swiftly carried her to his car; gently laid her across the backseat and slid behind the wheel. He was started when Troy sat in the seat next to him.

"What do you think you are doing?" Henry glared at the human beside him.

"I left you alone with my sister once; I am not making that mistake twice." Troy did up the seatbelt .

Henry muttered under his breath as he started the car and drove to his place. The two men stood stiffly in the elevator as Henry carried Clare. They reached his apartment and the door flew open. Vicki stopped in mid stride as she saw Clare.

"Oh god, what happened?" Vicki asked as the two men stepped in; she shut the door behind them. "Is she okay?"

"just resting." Henry carried her to their room and shut the door. He gently put her on the bed and undressed her. Pulling the covers over her body he kissed her forehead. "Wake up when you're ready."

Back in main area; Henry found Mike going through the fridge. "Do you mind?" Henry willed himself to the fridge and slammed the door; nearly catching Mike's head in the process.

"Yikes!" Mike jumped away. "I was just looking! You've never had food before. I was just curios what you would buy."

"Next time, ask." Henry crossed his arms and glared at the cop.

"Since when do you cook?" Mike asked, glancing at the kitchen. "I thought you didn't eat real food."

Troy spoke up, "But Clare does." He was seated at the island; he looked tired. His face was smudged with dirt; a sleeve of his sweater was torn. "I guess you haven't told them?"

"No." Henry snapped and I wasn't planning on it."

Troy just looked at him, "You're kidding right? Why wouldn't you tell them? It's not something to be ashamed of Henry. My sister is a fine woman; any man would be honoured to have her."

Henry gave him a droll look. "They are scared of her, Troy. She's got a temper that rivals mine and enough magic skill to reshape the world. The men in your family won't go near her."

Troy stood up; fists clenching. "So that's what you think of her! You don't care about Clare." The gold eyes darkened as he glared, "You were counting on her getting pregnant. You knew this would happen!" Troy lunged at the vampire and they both hit the pantry; the wood surface splintered and shattered as they threw punches.

Mike and Vicki stood back; Mike looked at her, "Did he say pregnant?"

"Yeah. I think Clare is pregnant."

"But the way he made it sound, Henry is the father." They both stared at one another.

Vicki looked at Henry as he got hold of Troy's sweater and threw him across the room. Troy hit the couch. He was stunned but only for an instant; before Henry could grab him again; Troy had his sword out and held level at the vampire's throat.

"Enough!" Vicki pushed her way between them; putting herself in front of the sword. "That's enough. Now; we all know it's not possible for Henry to have children. He's a vampire; it doesn't happen."

Troy didn't lower the sword, "In our family it does; twice in fact; before Clare was born."

Vicki looked at the vampire and had trouble understanding. "But you said...you didn't tell me about this?"

Henry returned to normal and crossed his arms. "I didn't know it would happen with Clare." He glared at Troy for a minute before looking at Vicki, his face softened. "I was surprised when she showed up at my door with the news." He leaned forward a little, "Vicki your eyes are different. Did you do something?"

"Clare did," Troy told him. Vicki looked at him. "She healed the illness in your eyes."

Vicki looked at Henry and back at Troy. "Why would she do that?'

"I have no idea; perhaps she felt compassion for you." Troy lowered the sword put didn't put it away. He leaned on it slightly.

Vicki looked to Henry, "So his sister is carrying your child. What are you going to do?"

Troy watched them and had to grit his teeth. It was obvious, even without psychic powers, these two loved each other. He had to look away. Troy willed the sword to vanish and crossed to the wall of windows. He knew this is where his sister had stood hours before. He glanced to his left and was startled to see her materialize. She was translucent and glowed with white light. The figure standing beside him was her astral body.

Tell me you don't love him. Troy asked in his mind

She looked at him, I can't.

He loves another.

She nodded her head, I know. I saw it tonight.

Troy clenched his fists; the cool touch of his sister's hands made him look at her again. She held his arm like she had when they walked tonight. Her ghost-like head rested on his arm. He felt her fingers touch his and squeeze his hand.

You knew how this would end, big brother. We both did.

Troy glanced back and saw Henry talking to Vicki. Neither of them noticed him.

Prophecies can be wrong. He told her.

But such luck has never shone on our family. At my birth it was foretold I would die with chid; and it would that of a Prince from the night. Clare smiled gently and shook her head as she stepped back. Rest assured brother, he will love his daughter with all his heart. She will be looked after.

Troy sucked in a deep breath, So this is good bye?

Soon; but not yet, I will see you again before the child comes.

But the magic tonight; it has changed things.

Clare stepped up to the window and put a pale hand against the glass. It has.

Henry's sharp tone made them both look back, "Enough, Vicki!" He turned and stormed off to his bedroom. The door slammed and the wall shook.

You had to pick someone with your temper, didn't you?" Troy watched as his sister smiled and began to fade.

Mike came up beside him and sighed, "Sometimes I hate that man."

Troy smiled at him," Welcome to the club."

Vicki was pounding on the bedroom door; she finally stopped. You are such a child!" She turned away and crossed to the couch; where she flopped down and turned on his television. Neither man moved from the window.