"No! No!" With this cry stuck on her lip Lea woke up and abruptly sat in her bed. Her heart was beating rapidly; her forehead was wet with sweat and she was shaking. It was so real. She still could see the little girl, her sky-blue eyes that dilated with pain when the vampire bit the girl in her neck.
That cry woke up Elanor, too. She quickly sat in her bed and looked at Lea. She noticed her friend was shaking and staring into space. Elanor came to her, sat next to her and hugged her. She felt Lea's tighten muscles. After a moment it seemed she realized Elanor hugged her. Lea looked at her with empty eyes showing a great pain and horror.
"Shhh, it was just a dream. Just a nightmare and it's gone." Elanor was comforting her.
"No!" Lea cried again. "It wasn't a dream! It… it was a vision. I know what will happen. I know what the vampires want to do. Elanor, we need to prevent it!"
Elanor looked at her. She knew it wouldn't be good idea to oppose her. "It's almost sunrise, Godric and Eric are asleep. We will go to them after sunset, ok?"
Lea nodded. In that moment they heard a loud knock on the door. Both girls jumped by surprise. Elanor used her ability of telepathy to find out who was standing behind the door.
"Go and open." She said to Lea.
Lea silently obeyed. She stood up and barefoot went to the door. When she opened it and saw Eric, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Eric." She breathed out and hugged him tightly. He was surprised by her behavior but he felt she was shaking so he put one arm around her and pulled her closer to him. He questioningly looked inside the flat. As soon as he noticed Elanor he lifted his eyebrow in question.
Lea finally let him go and stood on a side with little embarrassment.
"What happened? I felt your fear." He asked her.
She lifted her face to his, her cheeks still pink with embarrassment after the hug she gave him. "I know what the vampires want to do." She explained.
Eric's gaze flickered from one girl to the other. They were still dressed in their night gown. Then he looked out of a window noticing the sunrise. He didn't have much time.
"Quickly, get dressed. I'll take you to our flat. I'll question you in the evening. Lea. But hurry, the sun is rising."
The girls were standing there indecisively for a moment but then they run to the flat. It didn't take them long. They quickly got dressed, took the most important things and came back to Eric. He was impatiently observing the sunrise. He caught hands of both girls and went quickly home. As soon as they were in the flat he let them go.
"I have to go. Stay here till sunset, and then we'll talk." He said curtly and disappeared.
"Elanor, did you see it?" Lea asked surprised.
Elanor nodded. Even she noticed Eric was changing with the sunrise. His skin was getting darker and it seemed as if a flare of blue flames was dancing around him. It was obvious he could die if he would stay longer on the sun.
As soon as the sun set and it was dark again, Godric and Eric appeared in the door leaving to the living room, where they were feeling presence of both girls from. Elanor was sitting calmly at the couch and was going through some book. Lea, on the other hand, was walking from side to side. They could see something was bothering her and she didn't like doing nothing.
As soon as the vampires entered, she turned her head towards them but she didn't stop walking. Only when Godric told her to sit and calm down she obeyed. She was on the edge. It was obvious she wanted to do something. Eric asked her to explain them what happened. So Lea described the whole vision not leaving out any detail she could think of.
"We have to do something." She blurred out at the end.
When Godric asked her if she dreamed about something like this before, she shook her head. She explained it had to probably be related to the interrogation. The same vampires Godric was questioning were in her dream. And during the interrogation Lea and Elanor felt they wanted to so something but they didn't know what. But now they knew. "What if they want to do it today?" Lea asked at the end.
"We have to contact Isabel and warn her. Eric, I want you to join her and be there. I, as a sheriff, need to stay here, just in case someone else would need me. But I want you to be there. I want to catch them and take them to the magister, who will make an exemplary punishment. If they thought it will be easy with me, I'll show them how big mistake they made."
Elanor looked at him. Her eyes were showing admiration but happiness as well, because he was able to face the problem even though he didn't want to be a sheriff. She knew she had to help him although she knew he won't be happy about it because he didn't want to use her. But this was concerning people now, too.
"I will help Eric." Elanor said.
"Me, too." Lea added.
"No." Eric said adamantly.
"Why?" Lea blurred out angrily.
"Someone needs to stay with Godric. If something happens here, he may need your abilities. We don't know for how long we'll be gone. Will you do it for me and stay here?"
She felt his look at herself. She knew, if he could, he glamoured her so she would obey him. But he didn't have to do it. He was right, someone should stay here. She was sorry Elanor would go with him, but on the other hand she hoped while cooperating Elanor may make a better opinion on Eric.
"Be careful." She said. It was also her agreement about staying with Godric. "But don't you think you'll get rid of me so easily. Next time I'm going with you or I'll follow you no matter what. You dragged me into it and I don't want to stay aside."
Eric was looking at her through his narrowed eyes but Elanor laughed. She was afraid Lea was tamed thanks to Eric but now she showed she still was indomitable. She knew she could now leave Lea alone. She was capable of taking care of herself. She was really protective over her she hardly ever realized Lea was self-sufficient. Elanor was worried about her, especially when Lea was in Eric's company.
"I'll call Isabel to warn her. But Lea, I need you to remember exactly the church so we could make it easier for Isabel. Elanor, you take the most necessary things, I think you'll stay at Isabel's. We don't know how long it will take to catch them in the act." Godric said.
"I'll try to remember." Lea nodded. She closed her eyes focusing on recalling the vision. She focused on the church, trying to remember every detail that could help. With her eyes still closed she started describing what she remembered.
Elanor touched her to make the recalling easier for her and to show her she was still with her. She noticed Lea stiffened. After a moment she opened her eyes but her look was completely empty. Only then she looked at Elanor.
"I think that's all." Lea said.
Godric nodded and went to make a call to Isabel. Eric told Elanor to go to pick some things. He offered he will accompany her to save time.
…
Elanor and Eric were spending second day in Isabel's house. Elanor liked Isabel, she could see Isabel was loyal to sheriff and she would do anything to catch that group of vampires. Besides she took care of Elanor; Elanor had the entire house at her disposal, when Isabel and Eric were asleep. She had a nice spacious house and Elanor was able to explore it the first day they arrived. Then she found out on her own the church Lea described. She knew Isabel would take them to the church but she wanted to be ahead of Eric. Lea hoped Elanor's opinion on Eric would change while being together at this mission but Elanor couldn't help herself, she didn't like him. She hated the most he was using Lea and because Lea was in love with him, even though she wouldn't admit it, she let Eric to manipulate her.
Nothing happened the first night at the church. Isabel explained them that even the first time, when they told her about the murder that would happen nothing happened. She remarked it was shame they didn't have the exact date. It would make their job easier. But the visions didn't work that way so they had to be patient and hope to be successful.
On the third night something was happening. Elanor heard the thoughts she was waiting for. She knew right away it was them, the group with five members. She told about it to Eric and Isabel. Isabel looked at her with inquisitive look but said nothing. They had vampires with them who listened to Isabel; they didn't want to come unprepared. For now, they were just watching what would happen. All of them were hidden so the vampires from the group wouldn't notice them. Thanks to Lea they knew which way they would go to the church so their job was easier.
Elanor unbelievingly shook her head. She could see everything what Lea described them. It seemed unbelievable. She knew she had to intervene but she didn't want to act rashly and do something to endanger them. Especially after Eric's threat, he gave her the first night at Isabel's, still hung in the air. He told her to stay at Isabel's place. Elanor, of course, refused to listen to him and if a look could kill, Eric would be dead. So now she was trying to stay calm.
As soon as the pastor got into the car with his sister and niece, Eric grabbed Elanor's hand moving them to the place where the accident was supposed to happen. During the last two days they explored the place and made a plan how to prevent the accident. Primarily they had to preserve their concealment. And they couldn't afford a vampire would slip through their fingers. It would make more harm than good.
They were all standing tense waiting for Elanor's signal. She was supposed to give the go to the other vampires as soon she heard thoughts from the vampires form nest about attacking. She was proud of herself it was her who could lead this small group of vampires, especially Eric. It was hilarious. Especially when she noticed the look he was giving her the entire night.
She finally heard snatches of thoughts. Immediately afterwards her mind was filled with literally avalanche of thoughts from vampires getting ready for the attack. Elanor closed her eyes for a second. This spate of thoughts gave her a great headache. But then she tried to suppress the pain and gave a signal to Isabel. She had Eric closer but she didn't trust him.
The pastor's car run in the turn and the vampires from the nest moved to it very quickly. But they didn't have any chance to do anything. Isabel's vampires leading by Isabel and Eric caught up with them and after a big fight they were able to overpower them. Then it was Elanor's turn. She drew out silver chains from a backpack and twisted them around defeated vampires' wrists and ankles. That guaranteed they won't run away. The only one who could perform this part of their plan was Elanor because she was human and silver didn't hurt her.
As soon as they took the tied up vampires to Isabel's house, where they were supposed to stay during the day, because sunrise was coming up, Elanor told Eric straight she wanted to see the trial. But he just laughed heartlessly. He explained her if she would get to a place where the trial would be held, she wouldn't leave alive. Either other vampires would kill her or they would turn her.
"It is not for you. You did your job; the rest isn't your concern."
"You're a terrible bastard." She hurled at him.
He just made a face.
The next night helped Isabel's vampires to Eric to get the prisoners to a place were the trial would be held. There Eric met Godric. They talked together over the phone before but Eric explained to Godric everything once again. Godric nodded and thanked everyone for doing a good job.
Then Godric stepped alone before the magister and told him everything that happened since Isabel has came to him for the first time. The magister was listening attentively; in his eyes was cruelty while smile appeared on his face. After Godric finished, he sat for a moment, thinking. Then he let them to bring the prisoners to him while looking at each of them closely. He ordered his executor, Luisa, to pull out vampires' fangs because they were drinking human's blood just for fun while killing people.
The vampires, already without silver cuffs, didn't dare to object or look at each other. But when Luisa started executing the order, vampires' cry was heard because they were going through an unbearable agony.
Eric bent towards Godric. "Now you showed you can stand up to your role of a sheriff." He said quietly and smiled at him.
"I didn't have a choice; they endanger our community and wanted to kill an innocent child." Godric answered quietly as well.
Eric just shook his head. His maker cared too much about humans.