4: Unexpected Ally

"Nice job, Damien," a voice above Econara said. It was Manfred. She opened her eyes slightly, and saw two shadowy forms hovering above her. She noticed a beak, and she relized that she was still a bird.

"It was nothing," one of the forms said. It was Damien, the boy who had been following her for months.

"How did you manage to strike down a phoenix, though? They're always so hard to find, especially in England," Manfred said.

"They're usually in rain forests and high mountains," a third voice said. Econara had never heard it before. It belonged to what she thought was a skull at first, but then she relized it was an ancient man with a red, wooly stocking cap on. He sat, hunched over, in a wheelchair.

Econara opened her beak to complain, but all that came out was an annoyed squawk. The three men turned to her, and she shut her beak.

"Our phoenix is awake," the old man cackled exitedly. Manfred and Damien quickly pinned Econara, making sure she couldn't rise. It took a lot of effort since phoenixes are large, strong birds, but since Econara was unused to that form, she didn't put up much of a fight.

"Strange though," the old man said to himself, "Most phoenixes are pure red. This one is black and red. Interesting." He looked up. "Don't just stand there, try to get some answers out of it! Why is it here? Where is it from?"

"I can't speak to animals, sir," Damien said.

"Then get the Raven boy to do it! Just get the bird to lead us to more of them! Phoenixes are good luck, you know. Good for magic." He then went on ranting under his breath, but Econara didn't pay attention.

"Yes, grandfather," Manfred said, quickly leaving. He returned a few minutes later with Billy, who looked confused, scared, and tired. Manfred pointed at Econara and grunted, "Talk to it. Ask it where it's from."

Billy walked over to Econara, keeping distance between him and everyone else, and was only close to Econara.

"Where are you from?" he asked in a language of squawks, twiters, and wistles.

Econara cocked her head, then said in the same language, "Billy, it's me, Econara! I turned into a phoenix by accident, and now these nutcases want me to show them where other phoenixes are!"

Billy's eyes widened, and Manfred came up behind him, and in a soft voice, he asked, "What is it saying?"

"I-I d-d-don't kn-know," Billy stuttered, surprised that Manfred was there.

"Does it have a name?" Damien asked unexpectedly, before Manfred could start yelling at Billy. Billy looked up, then looked back to Econara.

"What should I say?" Billy asked, trying hard to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"Tell them my name is Blair. I come from across the Great Sea from the Hidden Vally."

"Okay." Billy repeated the mesage to the men, and the old man clapped his hands joyfully and spitefully.

"Good. Take the bird and put it in the dungeons so it can show us the way when we need it to," he said.

"Yes grandfather," Manfred said, then stopped, staring at Econara's neck. "What's this?" he asked, reaching for the spiral shaped necklace that Econara didn't relize was still around her neck until Manfred pointed. His hand got too close, and Econara snapped out, taking two hunks of skin with her. Manfred screamed, and grabbed Econara's neck, strangling her. Damien reacted, punching him in the gut, and Manfred doubled over and stumbled back. Damien slammed his interlinked fists on Manfred's back, knocking him flat. Billy shrunk against the door. Manfred didn't get up.

Then the old man started yelling. "WHAT DID YOU DO?! YOU KILLED HIM!!!"

"I DID NOT!!" Damien roared back, and the old man quickly fell silent. There had been a sort of demonic rumble in Damien's voice. "Besides, he was choking her," he added, the rumble gone.

"Take the bird to the dungeons alone, then," the old man said. Damien nodded, and came over.

Econara had flipped herself onto her feet and prepared to lash out and strike when Billy said,"Wait, let me talk to her." Damien stopped, then stepped aside.

"No," the old man said.

"Let him tell her I mean no harm," Damien said, then turned to Billy, "Can you say that for me?"

"Yes," Billy said, then he slinked over to Econara. "He says he won't hurt you."

"I know. I can understand everything they're saying. They want to lock me in a dungeon. I don't want to be locked up," Econara said defiantly.

"If you go, we can get you out," Billy said.

"I don't know..."

"Trust me. We've done it before, Econara. We can do it again. I'll go with so I can see where the dungeon is." Billy looked urgently at her.

"You don't want to mess with the Bloors, do you?" Econara asked the frightened boy. He nodded. "Very well, then. You better hold up on your promise and get me out afterword." Then she tucked her wings in and beckoned Damien over with a flick of her head.

He walked over and whispered to Billy, "She'll be safe with me. I'm going to get her to freedom." He then winked, and grabbed the end of one of the feathers above Econara's eyebrows gently, and she hopped off the small table on which whe had been laid.

"Wait," Billy said weakly. Damien stopped, and turned, looking at the small albino expectantly. It took a few seconds before Billy could find his voice again under Damien's stare, "She said she would only go if I went."

Damien looked at him for a while more, then smiled, saying, "Okay, you can come." Billy stepped over, and they left the room before the old man could object.

"Who was that man?" Econara asked Billy in the phoenix language.

"Ezekiel Bloor. He's the Headmaster's father," Billy replied.

"You know, I can understand everything you're saying, Econara," Damien said.

"No you don't," Econara said.

"Yes, I do. I took lessons on how to talk to phoenixes for years. Wolves, too."

"Why have you been following me for the last seven months, then?" Econara asked.

"Because, your dad sent me. Do you know how long a flight it is from the vampire kingdom it is to get here? I almost dropped dead from exhaustion into the Atlantic. Then no more vampire prince." Billy's eyes widened at the last comment. Damien noted this. "Don't worry, kid. I won't bite you. Vampires are more or less vegitarians. We only bite to mate, and I'm not gay." Billy looked a little relived, but still didn't trust him.

"So why are you here?" Econara asked. The small party had stopped outside a small door.

"I came to take you home," Damien replied.

"So you're going to turn me into a vampire?" Econara asked.

"Nope. Your dad lives with us ever since he left the griffins."

"So I get to meet my dad?" Econara asked suspiciously.

"Yes."

"Okay then. One question. A question that only people residing with my dad would know. Who's my mom?" Econara was sure he would not get this one.

"Why, Lady Avin. Who else?" Damien said.

"Hah! My mom's name is Sarah!"

Damien looked at her quzzically, then his eyes shot open in recognition, then that turned to anger. "That is the name of the woman who kidnapped you. We spent years looking, but we couldn't find her. Where is she now?"

"Living nearby. Why?" Econara was slightly awed by Damien's fury.

"The entire vampire population gave up looking for you about two years ago. My father still wanted me to look for you secretly. Come, we must go home and tell them where she is."

"So you mean, get revenge?" Econara said, warming to the topic against the woman who had treated her like slime hours before.

"Yes."

"Econara, he could be lying," Billy said.

"Not at all! Tell your friends Econara's home. And tell them she can come and visit. We don't mind."

"I never said I was going with you," Econara said quickly.

"Will you?" Damien asked.

"Of course, but I'm coming back. The Bloors seem to like power. I want to make sure they don't have that power. They could threaten the world. Billy, will you tell Emma and Olivia and everyone else that I'll be back, and I'll be of more help." Billy heasitated, then nodded. "Thank you, Billy Raven. Your deeds will be remembered." She nuzzled him gently with her leathal beak.

"Thanks," Damien said, putting his hand on Billy's shoulder. It was surprizing warm. A searing heat shot through him, and was gone in an instant. "Now you can talk to people in your mind. You can reach Econara without running up the phone bill." He laughed at this, then his body transformed. His clothes melted away, and his face elongated into something that resembled a beak, with sharp fangs, and slitted, golden-red eyes. His fingernails grew into bone, and bony outgrowths shot out of his elbows. He had a stump of a tail, and his fur was a red-black color, the same color as his hair.

"Let's go," he said. His voice had, once again, taken on a demonic rumble. He opened the door to reveal a small room with a cot and a barred window. The bars were too small for either vampire or phoenix to get through. Damien fixed that problem, however, when he ripped the bars out with his talons. The hole left was still too small for Econara, but she forced her way through.

"Tell everyone I'll be back, Billy," she called though the hole, and Billy nodded, then left.

The two avian creatures quickly gained altitude, and were flying over the Atlantic within fifteen minutes.

"So where are we going exactly?" Econara asked.

"To the Forgotten Vally. It's in the Rockies."

"Cool. So I come from the Rockies."

"Yeah, pretty much," Damien agreed.

They flew in silence for a while, each with their own thought. Damien was wondering about what his father and Harom would say when he got back with Econara, and Econara was wondering about why Damien was flying so close to her. Her curiosity got the better of her.

"Why are you flying so close?" she asked suspiciously.

"Uh..." Damien's voice lost confidence, and was mumbling.

"I can't hear you," Econara said, annoyed.

Damien hesitated, the blurted out, "I said I like you. There, are you happy?" He had an embarassed look in his slitted eye, and the demonic rumble in his voice sounded off. Econara was shocked by the information. No one had ever liked her before. Especially all the boys she had liked.

All she could say was, "Really?" She was still in denial.

"Yeah," Damien whispered. "You're pretty, smart, and a challenge to become friends with. You're an enigma within yourself, and practically royalty amongst vampires." Econara was still shocked by all this information. "If you want, I'll back off," Damien said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"No, it's fine," Econara said. She almost said I like you too, but she figured that would have been awkward. They flew in silence the rest of the way. They came in sight of a castle, and Damien went to a window -one of three-, undid a small latch, and opened the window wide, then got out of the way, letting Econara in first. It was an elaborately decorated room, with varous rugs on the floor and various portraits on the walls. The window had red, velvet curtains, and there was a red silk canopy bed.

"C'mon, I'm sure everyone's eating," Damien said, and led Econara out of the room and down several hallways, finally leading to a large room with five long tables, which grew in length from the outside in. The room, which had been full of chatter a moment before, had fallen silent. He led her to the head of the middle table, where a man dressed in red velvet, alongside a lady dressed just so, sat. By the man sat a wolf-like creature, except it had rusty-black wings, two feathers, one above either eyebrow, and his feet were covered in feathers. Across from him was a tall, dragonfly winged woman.

"Econara?" The wolf asked. His head was cocked as he examined her. Econara cocke her head in the same direction, and the tall man beside the wolf-creature laughed. For such a big man, he had a light, childish laugh.

"I guess that's a 'yes', Harom. Your daughter's home."

AN: How do you guys like it so far? I promise, there are better descriptions in the origins story for Harom. As always, don't own CB, Jenny Nimo does. Hope you enjoy the story! ;)