Hello all! I only received one vote last Sunday, but that vote was to post today, so I shall, so for your enjoyment, here is your chapter, do enjoy!
Chapter 36.
"You didn't," Nate said slowly.
Randall was silent.
"You killed her! You fucking killed her!" he shouted. He got up out of his seat and it fell to the floor with a loud clatter.
"Nate, please, he didn't mean to," Tanya begged, grabbing his arm.
He shook it off and continued towards Randall. He seemed to be growing bigger by the second, hair spurted out of his arms, he grew a full fledged beard in about five seconds. I finally realized what was happening, he was changing, very slowly. He stopped and looked at his arms which now may as well have been furry fore-legs. He howled as he fell to his knees. From there the change took place rather quickly. His face elongated, his clothes ripped from his body and his body contorted. From the look on his face it was rather painful. Once he was turned he lunged towards Randall, but his change had been slow enough for us to take action. Kate grabbed him and he whimpered, jumping away from Kate and into Tanya's grip. After a quick glare at Kate, Tanya threw him to the floor.
"Stop this, I know you know better. Murder does not clean up murder," Tanya said sternly, stroking the fur on his shoulders.
Nate spoke up in his gravelly wolf voice. "There's nothing that I would do to him that my father won't when he finds out."
"We'll negotiate with him when the time comes," Eleazar said calmly.
How could he be so calm? There was a werewolf in the kitchen and it wasn't even the full moon!
"I understand you're upset, and we're all incredibly sorry, aren't we Randall?"
"Nate, I'm more sorry than you could know."
Nate took a deep breath, his shoulders heaved. "I don't think my father will be willing to negotiate I...I can't say I'll help you...but...I won't hurt Tanya, and if she doesn't want me to hurt you guys, I guess I won't."
"Thank you Nate," Eleazar smiled.
"Come on baby, let's go for a run," Tanya said, finally letting Nate up from the floor. He followed her out of the kitchen and after a few seconds we heard the door slam.
Randall grabbed my hand and led me to the living room where we could be alone. I felt my heart break. I couldn't imagine what would happen when Chris came over. Despite his history with Eleazar, he seemed the least friendly of all the Children of the Moon. He rarely visited, only when Sarah dragged her along. We had broken the treaty, why would he have reason to heed our agreement to talk things out. It was obvious now how easily they could lose themselves if they were angry, who said Chris wouldn't just snap and tear Randall apart then and there? It would be over my dead body of course, but still, who said it couldn't happen?
He walked around me and took my other hand. "You look scared," he said softly.
I couldn't look at him. I knew I wouldn't be able to look him in the face without breaking down. "I am scared," I said softly.
He took a step closer, "You have nothing to be afraid of," he whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you. This is my fault and I'm not afraid to take the punishment."
He didn't get it. I wasn't scared for myself. I wasn't the one Chris would go after. "You don't understand..." I started, but then the back door flew open.
"NATHANIEL LUCAS LAMPKIN! IF YOU ARE OVER HERE WITH THESE BLOOD SUCKING FIENDS I'LL KILL YOU!" Chris shouted. I jumped and Randall grabbed me tightly and held me close.
If we were both going to die, these last few moments were about as good as I could have imagined, just the two of us, holding each other, never letting go. In my imagined scenario it wasn't quite as terrifying, but at least we were together. Well, I wouldn't let him go so easily. I pressed my body up against his, holding down on the couch with my weight.
"He's not here Christopher," Eleazar said, walking into the room. "Now we understand you know about the...accident...of our newest member."
"I knew it was you," he growled. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stick to your treaty."
"Try to understand Christopher, our preferences in blood are much stronger than yours in meat. You only have to eat once a month, our hunger is constant. Please, Randall is new to this life style, he's only been hunting animals for eight months now. We beg you to be lenient in your punishment."
Christopher sneered as he stepped forward. "Lenient, you say? One of your 'family' killed someone my family cared for very much, and you want me to be lenient?" Chris began to grow hair like crazy as well. Although Chris already had a beard, it just grew longer, the hair covered the rest of his face and he jumped up into the air to make his turn easier. He let out a howl as he landed on all fours and lunged towards me and Randall.
Carmen's scream pierced the air and Randall threw me to the side as he and Chris went head to head. I crashed through the wall with a thud and the plaster fell around me.
"Are you alright?" Carmen asked me.
I nodded, but my eyes didn't move from the action. In the few miliseconds it took me to orient myself again Carmen had come to my side and Eleazar and Garrett were pulling Randall and Chris apart. Once they were not so intertwined in their wrestling Kate intervened and kept a steady hand on Chris. From the deep look of concentration on her face she was using her highest voltage, but Chris still struggled under Eleazar's grip.
"What is going on in here?" a voice asked from the door.
Most heads turned towards the busted back door where Sarah was standing, hands on her hips, in the broken doorway, a second later Tanya appeared behind her. Chris continued to struggle. She stepped towards him and kneeled. "Christopher Anthony Lampkin, what do you think you're doing?" she said harshly.
He looked up. "I'm only repaying them for what they did," he said, his voice was even deeper than Nate's, the frequency almost unnatural for a human. "They broke the treaty, not me."
"No, you both broke the treaty. It explicitly states that the punishment will be decided and consented by both parties, and not only was I not consulted as the other legal adult in our party, this looks like consent in no way."
"Alright," he grumbled. "Let me up, Eleazar."
Slowly Eleazar released him.
"I'll run home and change back, then we will discuss this. Don't think Sarah can't do anything if you should try something again," Christoper said.
"Nate is over at the house watching Lindsey...do you think he needs to come?" Sarah asked.
"I think his presence would be beneficial to both sides," Eleazar said, "please, bring him back with you if you don't mind."
With that Christopher nodded and ran out the way he came in.
It was quiet for a moment as Randall made his way back to me and Garrett wrapped himself protectively around Kate.
"Please, have a seat," Carmen finally said weakly, gesturing to the now plaster covered couch.
Sarah sat down, dusting off a spot on the couch.
"How bad is it going to be?" Tanya asked. "Do you think it'll be something like an exile, or is the treaty going to be modified?"
Sarah shrugged. "I don't know. We're obviously very upset, but I'm sure that Nate and I will be able to make sure the punishment is fitting to the crime. My husband is a bit of a hothead if you haven't noticed."
"I'm sorry, if it helps any," Randall said softly. His hands ran up and down my baby bump, caressing it with his fingertips, it was strangely soothing. I didn't speak up, but still, one word about harming him or exiling him and I would jump at the chance to take partial responsibility. If he was going to leave, be it this town or this world, I was going with him.
Looking up I caught Sarah's gaze. She looked worn and saddened, but there seemed to be some sort of understanding in her eyes. Perhaps she too worried about losing her husband in all of this although I wasn't sure why.
A few minutes later Christopher returned with Lindsey and Nate in tow.
"What happened here?" Lindsey asked, staring at the gaping hole in the wall.
"Nothing that can't be fixed, why don't you sit in the other room and watch some television?" Carmen asked, leading her up the stairs and probably taking her to one of the guest bedrooms.
"I'm sure we can commence the meeting in the kitchen," Eleazar said, stepping in and pulling open one of the uppermost cabinets. On the top shelf lay an envelope, in which the treaty, the original treaty seeing as both sides had copies, was stored. "Now I know this case is not specified in the agreement, but I know we can work something out," he said, placing the treaty on the kitchen table as we all took a seat.
"Well Randall," Christopher said gruffly. "What do you think the punishment should be?"
Randall looked down, "I'll be willing to accept anything that is agreed upon."
What? What was he saying? Was he saying that he would accept death with no rejection? There was only one way to make sure he didn't agree to anything stupid.
"I also take responsibility, I was there as well and left Randall and Jade alone together not knowing what would happen."
Christopher almost seemed to grin at this.
Fear filled Randall's eyes almost immediately. "Please, do not harm my wife, I convinced her to leave, I convinced her I was fine."
"I should have been able to judge his hunger and I judged incorrectly, I accept responsibility for that," I repeated although it was more for Randall than the others.
"Well, I suppose death is a little harsh as it is your first offense," Christopher said, idly twisting his beard between his fingers. "But it is a serious first offense, I'm sure you agree."
"We do," Randall and I answered in unison.
"Nathaniel?" Christopher called. "Please share your thoughts."
"I don't think I'm in a proper state of mind to answer," Nate replied. "I'm still grieving the loss of my friend."
"I think that would be the perfect state of mind to make this decision," Christopher said raising his eyebrows dangerously.
"I don't want to give an unjust punishment," Nate argued.
"Well, you aren't willing to decide, I will negotiate with the vampires," Christopher said authoritatively. "Randall it is obvious what you have done. I feel that as this is your first offense, death and exile are too strong."
"We agree, most of us slip up at least once when we first transition," Eleazar said. "Perhaps something more subtle can be worked out, maybe a monetary agreement?"
"No," Christopher said thoughtfully, "both of us have far more money than we need, although perhaps a certain amount to the family could be part of your retribution. Still, with you money comes and goes like nothing, we need something substantial."
"I'm sure Randall would be more than willing to help on your farm," Eleazar said. Randall nodded.
"Ha!" Christopher laughed. "Why should I think he wouldn't eat my cattle? No, I don't trust him." Suddenly Christopher got a look in his eyes. "I am not exactly at peace with your family Eleazar, perhaps with more time, but not now, I think that it would be appropriate if we put off the c-section."
"No!" Randall growled. "It isn't fair for the one who had the least to do with the crime bear the brunt of the punishment."
"Actually, I think it would be a suitable punishment," I said. I'd so much rather wait to have the baby out than to lose Randall in any way shape or form. I'd gotten this far with the baby, I could wait a little longer. It would be a letdown with the original date being so close, but I knew I could handle it.
"It does seem to bother him, and the point of punishment is that he doesn't want to do it again," Christopher chuckled. "I suppose as long as the others agree then we can settle that and pick a new date?"
"As long as Clara and Randall are okay with it we agree," Garrett said, pulling Kate closer to him.
"I agree with them," Tanya said.
"I do too," Nate said, following Tanya's lead.
"I don't think Randall will agree, but if he does then it gets our okay," Eleazar said.
"Well Randall, it appears it's up to you. We've come to a mutually agreeable solution, now are you going to take it like a man, or are we going to have to go back to square one?" Christopher said, leaning towards us.
"If it's what Clara wants I'll agree...but I won't like it."
"Well what would be the point if you liked it?" Christopher laughed, his face darkening. "So it's settled then? Shall we write it into the treaty?"
Amendment 1: Because of a violation of the treaty on the part of the vampires, the date of the removal of Clara Finely Harris' baby is now December 6, 2008.
There it is. Hope you have a nice rest of the week! See you next Sunday!
Hufflepuffbrunette :)