Hey everyone,
So I actually had Adam's backstory written out before I wrote this chapter and this plan. Got to admit, I have to adept the backstory a bit if I want to make this work. But the changes won't have to be too drastic as there's going to be about 7 years between what happened to Adam and when he drained Amarella. Oh, and this is Flint the Time Detective, so you can expect some Time Shenanigans to start happening soon.
Let's have fun,

Venquine1990

Chapter 04
Adam's Story and the Council

3rd of May 2418
Tama City, Japan
Merlock's POV

My mouth is wide open and my eyes are wide as I stare at Adam. The man is looking up at Bindi and Getalong, who are also wide eyed. "OH MY GOODNESS! Adam, I am so sorry that we never made the connection! Please forgive us! Unita would have come for you if we had known! But one day, you were just gone and nothing about the place where you disappeared gave any hint to your whereabouts. The Old Timer was heartbroken."
Bindi exclaims as she and Getalong fly for Adam. Bindi wraps her tentacles around Adam's face and Getalong does the same with her little angel wings. Adam isn't angered, however, he happily hugs them and laughs as he says: "It's okay, Bindi. I don't blame you and I never did. The Dark Lord took me. He used his powers to lure me and my mother away and pulled us both through a Time Portal. But his control over it was weak and my mother got ill from the trip.

When we arrived on earth the Dark Lord was slightly off from where he had planned to land and hide, but it was still in the middle of a dark and magical forest. The dark magic both strengthened his own powers and helped him hide us from being detected. He then erased all of my mother's memories of the time she was with father and attempted the same with me. But I already had vampiric genes and with that photographic memory.
The Dark Lord needed to use all of his still slightly untrained powers to put a block on my memory instead and cursed me for being insignificant, yet strong. He then left, but I remember that he was very weak as he did. Unfortunately, my mother's illness had come from the time portal and she died shortly after. A year later I was found by a family that took me in, the one that had a rivalry and a feud with Amarella's family. I am sure you know the rest."

Both Time Shifters nod and most of us do the same. Then suddenly Dino and Mite stick their heads out of the bushes again and Dino asks: "Hey, can we come out now?" And Mite continues: "Yeah, is it safe yet?" Adam looks at the two in amused confusion while Petra growls. And just like we're used from her, she stomps over to the two and slams them both on the head as she says: "Fools. It was safe to come out minutes ago. Weren't you paying attention?"
Adam laughs while the two whine in pain and Petra groans the words Lackeys. Honestly. Adam grins at her and states how she is a kitten with claws and that he likes it. Petra blinks, but then grins back at him and says: "Oh trust me, pall. I'm a lot more than that." Adam doesn't reply, but the look on his face speaks volumes. The Elder of the Vampires has recognized the challenge from his new One and is ready to accept it.

By now Sarah and I have gone back to a standing position and while I happily hold her lovingly close against my form, Adam's form also reminds me of another problem that I have been spotting over the past few months. The happy and content smile disappears of my face and a concerned frown replaces it. And with great displeasure I pull away from Sarah and let go of her as I move over to where Adam and Petra are standing close together.
"I mean not to interrupt your time with your new One, Adam, and neither do I want to waste a minute of my own if I can instead spend it with mine. But unfortunately, your illness and the fact that you were growing tired for what New York had to offer are not my only concerns." I tell the man who looks at me for a few moments. I can tell that he is both disappointed and studying me for what I just said before he asks:

"If I ease your concerns will you finally accept the role that is yours as the youngest of the clan?" He asks and I happily smirk at him as I answer: "If you ease my concerns, I won't have any reason not to enjoy my time on this world and will be able to spend it with my One for as long as she'll have me." And to my delight, Sarah responds to this by lovingly hugging me around the side and waist. I wrap my own arm around her sweet form and Adam nods.
He asks what my concerns are and this one question is enough to again replace the joy with stress. "I was not the only one who realized that Sarah was my One from the moment I laid eyes on her. When I visited the council for my stash at the first day of the month after that meeting, the council were instantly aware that I had found her. They had been jittery and letting off a nervous aura even before this occurred and after.
When they asked me who she was, a sense of dread overcame me and the need I had to protect her welled up within me. I answered that she was a Time Detective like myself and lied. I told them that Miss Jillian Grey had ordered me to keep all identities of all Time Detectives bar myself a secret from everyone, the other vampires included. The council wasn't happy with this and since then they have been trying to get me to spill the beans."

Instantly the other vampires are also warry and on guard again and this worries the others. I pull Sarah slightly closer, not to protect her but to ease her concerns as Adam mutters that the council must have a reason. I nod and say: "They do, and I know it. Adam, for the past seven years I have been hearing them mutter about how they want to repopulate our kind and how they wish I would find my One. But the fact that they don't care about helping you find yours?
And besides that, it's not just that they have been asking me about Sarah every time I come to collect my stash, they have also been trying to trick me into taking Sarah with me for my next visit. They don't mention her by name, but they use several different mind tricks to try and convince me, to persuade me. And while Babette, my feeder, feels as uncomfortable about all this as I, the ones that ask me always look hungry for something.

And then – there's this." My tone turns dark, angry and even hateful as I pull an object out of the pocket of my pants. I keep my fist closed around it until I have raised my hand up to Adam's eye level. I open my palm and long bits of dark reddish black fur become visible, a few of them shining in the broken sunlight, others looking as if they have the light of embers flickering on them. Instantly every vampire around me has a look of shocked fear.
"What? What's wrong? What is that?" Flint asks confused and Henrietta answers: "That's the fur of a very, very, extremely rare critter. It's one of the only critters that are alive these days that still have magical properties in their blood, saliva, skin or fur. In this case, the latter. But those powers are crazy dangerous and can only be used by one kind of being; witches." The others on the team look startled and I growl: "And in the hands of one, they work like the Petra Stamp – on vampires."

Instantly the eyes of all my friends are on me as Adam growls: "Merlock has the strongest mental force out of all of us. I admit that I am physically the strongest, but also mentally the weakest of us all. I would be a mindless servant if a witch were to turn this fur into a collar and put it on me. Merlock might have a chance to resist, but only if the orders are truly against his desires and beliefs. Otherwise he is like I said."
Even Petra now looks shocked and concerned with a hand in front of her mouth. Adam looks at me, straight in the eye, and asks why I think a witch would want to do this. I growl and say: "Because in the time you have been off, Adam, Maryland and Ebony died of old age. The witch that has found and used this critter is the last of her kind and she has discovered that our numbers exceed hers. You know that this makes her as irrational as you were before Petra."

Adam nods with his arms crossed and says: "You are correct, little one. But even an irrational vampire can be charming, just like even an irrational witch can be manipulative and cunning. And if this witch is still a young one, she'd be able to use her innocent age to her advantage. And most council members, while exceptional when it comes to most mortals, are idiots who are still easily swayed by the manipulative power of a witch.
If she tells them that she wants to help them repopulate our kind, they'll believe her, even if her actual plans are for our eradication. She has probably convinced them to let her make the collar with the excuse that the mind control might help me be the leader they want me to be. That it will help me be part of – no, they wouldn't. Even they're not that stupid." Adam gasped halfway through the end and his voice is breathless at the end.
But I frown at him and say: "Adam, they've been jittery about our low number for seven years now. They have tried to convince me to break a fake promise for the last almost ten months. And there were never any records of what happened to the previous two councils or why they were disbanded. The ones that replaced the disbanded councils were never told why their predecessors were left off or what happened to them.

The only ones who know what happened – is us. And believe you me, Adam. I've met all three councils. And this lot is more stubborn than both of the previous ones combined. They're as stubborn as Rocky is a fossilized stone axe." Adam turns to the caveboy and his father and his eyes widen shortly at the sight. Then Bindi turns to me and asks me what's going on and what we're talking about. I sigh and mutter:
"Bindi, you know about the council. You know how they are responsible for us and the clan when Adam is unable to provide in his role as Leader. How we answer to them unless Adam is able to fulfil his role as Eldest. You know how they have hunters that drain killed animals of their blood and store this to feed us every month. How they provide us with the means to live our lives among the mortals without the mortals finding out the truth about us.
Yes, the council, even though they have existed of mortals that have passed the roles down from father to son and mother to daughter, have done many good things for us and the clan over the centuries. Ever since we brought them into existence when I was about 280 years old. But where they do good things, they can make horrible mistakes as well. And twice now they have done so and have stuck to their guns.

Both times could have been prosperous for the Vampire clan at large – if not for the full extend of their mistaken plans. I – I won't go into detail. It disgusts me just to think about it. To think about the fact that they are going to go for this plan once again. That even in this modern era, the mortals are as vile and disgusting as they were more than 500 years ago. So, all I will say is the name of the plan as that alone is a dead giveaway."
Everyone nods and I hold Sarah close against my form as I turn to Dr. Goodman. The man is a little concerned and confused when he spots this, but I stare him directly in the eye as I say: "Their plan is called – Operation Broodmare." And instantly all eyes widen, except for Flint's and the eyes of the other vampires. Sarah also exclaims her fear and shock and pulls herself closer against me. Instantly my full focus in on her.

"Don't fret, my Sarah. Remember, I will always protect you. I won't let them near you, I refuse to allow them to even think of using you for such vile means. Remember what Adam said, my love. As the mentally strongest of the vampires, I can even resist the orders of the collar if the orders go against my beliefs and desires. And nothing, my love, nothing is stronger than my desire to see you safe. Remember that, Sarah, and calm yourself."
And thankfully, blissfully, my words have their desired effects. Sarah loosens her hold on me, which I'm sure would have been painful for my lungs if I had a need to breath. She looks up and there are actually tears of fear and relief in her azure orbs. My heart goes out to the one I love and I pull her close enough I can tuck her head underneath mine as I again whisper assuring words of love in her sweet-smelling hair.

"Hey dad, should I know what broodmare means?" I hear Flint ask his dad and Rocky whispers back that his son should be glad that he doesn't. Flint nods at this and says: "Sarah, I know that Merlock loves you and that he swore to protect you. But while I might not feel for you like he does, you are my friend. I'll help him protect you, even if I don't understand what I'm protecting you from." And these last words have an instant effect.
Everyone bursts out laughing as the words break the tension that had been steadily growing in the area around us. "What a kid. I love this little rascal. Never change, Flint. Never change. Your innocence is a gift, I swear." George manages to compliment Flint through his laughter. And while Flint had been looking around confused, he now has a large, childlike grin on his face, as if proud of his accomplishment or something.

Then he looks up and points into the sky as he exclaims: "Hey look, a Time Portal is opening up." Instantly Adam tenses as he must now clearly remember when the Dark Lord had taken him. Yet while I'm sure that my Elder feels a hint of fear, he pulls Petra protectively behind himself. But while I already felt sure that it couldn't be the Dark Lord, I'm still amazed to see a beautiful unicorn with blue mane and bright green horn fly out of the portal.
"It's Unita-Master!" Flint exclaims and then Tony points at the mighty steed as he shouts: "And look! He has Bubblegum, Wing and Mosbee on his back." Adam looks at the two confused and I whisper the word later at him. Adam nods and then asks Unita, who has come down and landed just above the water surface, what he's doing here and if he's here to bring Adam back to his father. Naturally Petra instantly clings to her new One, but Unita-Master shakes his head.

"The Old Timer send for me. He has a plan that can help you deal with both the council and the witch. You will need my help for the latter, as well as that of Bubblegum and Mosbee. Wing is with me to help you with the council." Unita-Master telepathically tells us all and Tony proves that he really has what it takes to one day become a Time Cop himself. He slams his hand in his fist and exclaims: "Of course, that makes sense.
Wing can grant you – well, wings – and make you look even more regal than you already do. And Bubblegum and Mosbee can freeze the witch and then capture her frozen form in a bubble of his own creation. And then Unita – wait, what he's supposed to do with her?" Tony forms the last statement as a question and rubs the back of his head confused. I too look at the mighty stead and wonder what its powers might be able to help us with.
Dr. Goodman mentions how Unita has the power to travel through time and space and voices the curious thought that he might need to bring the witch back with him to the Land of Time. But at this I shake my head as that won't solve the problem and will just make the witch turn on the Time-Shifters instead of us. It won't solve the problem, just shift its focus. Pterry, who had gone to land besides Dr. Goodman after the blankets were spread flies up.

"Hey, maybe I can help. I can erase some of her memories once we capture her. Maybe even enough that she will forget about the fact that there are more vampires than witches in the world. That's the problem, right? The reason behind her irrationality?" The other vampires and I nod and I notice that Adam's eyes widen as he mumbles the words erase – memories? He looks at Pterry and I can tell that he is trying to recollect something.
"Of course, I remember now. Two hundred years after Merlock joined the clan, I came across a clan of witches in the middle of an enchanted wood. The elder took me in and while she didn't raise me as her own, she had some kind of gift. As long as I was around her and her clan, I was able to keep my mind. Then, one day, a young maiden fell from a tree nearby the village. We found her and discovered that she was an orphan suffering from amnesia.
She never recovered her lost memories, but she flourished within the clan and the elder took her in the same way she did me. Under the elder's care, the young witch became a beacon for the rest of the clan. And when the elder passed, she took over. However, she didn't have the same gift as the elder, so I left before my irrational behavior could make me hurt one of them. Two centuries later I found out that the clan and the forest had died a peaceful death."

Everyone looks at the man in shock and then Flint exclaims: "But that makes this a Time Mission!" And just like always he pulls his Time ID from his pocket and holds it in front of him proudly as he says: "And I'm a Time Detective, so I'll be making sure that the tapestry of history is kept in order. That's my job." Sarah, Tony, Dr. Goodman and I all smile at the young man, who stands in the middle of us with a proud smile on his face.
But my smile is quickly wiped off my mind as suddenly a voice comes out of nowhere and echoes within my mind. "Come! Come to us! We know you're near! We know you're with your One. Take them with you! Come! Come to us! We can help you! We can help you become strong in kind once again! Come! We don't care who your One is! Come! Come to us!" In the distance I can hear Sarah worryingly calling my name and asking what's wrong.
I also hear Petra doing the same with Adam. "Not a chance." I hiss in anger and Sarah lets out a sound of confusion. "It was the council. They called on us and they want us to come to them." George growls as he and Sandy help each other up. David does the same with Henrietta and he growls: "The witch must have sensed that Adam has left New York and found his One. She must be terrified that this might interfere with her plans."

Uh oh, what now?
Now Petra is going to prove why she belongs with Adam and Adam is going to prove why he is the Leader of the Vampire Clan. However, I'm not going to cover Adam's trip to the Council or his trip through time. I am sticking with Merlock and Sarah and sticking with Merlock's POV. However, I do have a few twists and shocks planned in regards to the little witch, especially for Sarah, Tony and Dr. Goodman. The shock? The witch's identity.
Read more soon,

Venquine1990