Elise came around in the back seat, groaning as she tried to haul herself upright. "Don't move," Michael advised her sagely.
"My wrist, it's broken," she replied. The car was spinning in her vision. Elise wisely closed her eyes. Pain was arcing up and down her whole body as though she were a lightning rod. She bit her lip and tried to bring things into focus.
"I'll take care of it as soon as we've met up with your mother." Michael was driving like the hounds of hell were chasing them. Elise had never seen her father this angry. "When I find out who did this to you, they will pay," he added, though it was more for his own sanity than anything else.
"What happened?" No one said anything. Elise finally gave up with the question and allowed everyone the chance to gather their thoughts. Selene met Michael at the door."What the hell happened here?" she inquired, holding the door open as Kaman carried Elise inside. "A bombing. We aren't certain yet who did this, but Eric will want to know immediately." Selene sighed heavily. "I was afraid something like this might happen. I knew peace couldn't last forever." Michael filled Selene in on the details while he set Elise's wrist with a homemade splint. "It had to have been one of our kind. The Lycans and Vampires are the only ones who would target Elise. To the humans, she's just a teenage girl," Selene mused.
"Phone Eric and let him know what happened, Kaman. Every detail you can. Michael, get my case and load it into the car. I'll be there in a second. Kaman will stay behind with Elise and Lynn"
"What say do I have in this?" Elise burst out. "I'm not going to sit here while someone's threatening my life! Let me go with you"
"No, it's too dangerous," Selene answered calmly.
"Only because I'm a girl in your eyes! I'm old enough to look after myself now! I'm sick of being followed around by my babysitters while you and dad visit Eric and go on these 'outings"
"Selene?" Michael looked pleadingly at the woman he loved. He was all for Elise gaining a little independence. At her age, Eric had been sitting in on Underworld politics.
"No, Michael! Not her too!" There was something like fear in Selene's eyes as she argued. Selene was loath to send another child into the lion's den. Elise was supposed to live a normal life, a life removed from court. She was supposed to be the little girl Selene and Michael were raising as part of their new life. They'd sacrificed great amounts to keep the peace, and although they had removed themselves from the nighttime society, they'd still been needed from time to time. Selene had always remained firm that her daughter would never experience the life she had been forced to lead since the fateful night Viktor had chosen to spare her life.
Michael heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Elise, but I have to agree with your mother this time. There will be a lot of unrest among the Vampires and Lycans. We'll send for you as soon as we know it's safe"
"Eric's sent reinforcements to cover the house. And a doctor, since he knows Michael is in a hurry." Kaman appeared in the doorway. The front room of their house had been modernized in black iron and glass. Leather furniture accented the room, which was full of photographs. Elise stared at the nearest family portrait. Three eternally youthful faces crowded around her, a small toddler on a silk pillow. It wasn't a normal family portrait, with a stately grandmother and a son who looked younger than his parents. As her parents drove away in their car, Elise contemplated the fact that she would never be normal. She'd never even seen the sun, or made any friends. They didn't realize how lonely she felt. No one, that is, but Eric.
Eric, her brother, was not like either of his parents. He had silver-blond hair that peaked at his brow, and his eyes were as dark as obsidian. He had been old when Elise had been born, but he was still young by standards of the company he kept. As soon as he'd laid eyes on her, Eric had sworn he would never love anyone as much as he loved this little being. Because of this, he had always kept anything she told him confidential and offered her advice on things she could never talk to their parents about.
"That's it! Kaman, let me have your phone, please." The puzzled bodyguard passed his mistress the phone without question. "I'll be in my room." Kaman nodded. She dialed the direct number to Eric's study. She was actually surprised when her brother answered.
"Eric Corvin"
"Eric, it's Elise." She instantly felt better for hearing his voice on the other end of the line. "Are you all right? What can I do for you, Ellie?" he asked anxiously. He sounded genuninely concerned.
"Mom wouldn't let me come," she said abruptly.
"She's right, you know. It isn't safe here. Believe me, Elise, I would love for you to be here right now. I miss you. But there's a lot of arguing going on. Raze and Xanatos are having a hard time keeping things calm. The Vampires are angry because they think the attack was made by Lycans, and the Lycans are angry for being accused. I'm sure we'll be able to bring you here as soon as Dad comes and talks. They always listen"
"Not you too! No one wants me to go! I'm part of this family too! Part of our world!" Eric allowed his sister to let off steam.
"I know you must be frustrated, Ellie. Just be patient." Part of Elise saw the sense in what her brother was saying. But the other side, the side struggling for independence and recognition, was getting the better of her. Reason wasn't playing a vital role.
"I'm tired of being patient. Everyone else leaves me completely out of this, like I am not a part of what's happening here. Need I remind you that I was the one attacked"
"All the more reason to keep you safe. You're the target, Elise"
"I love you," she said, "but you're wrong." With that, she hung up. Looking out her window, she could see that the extra security hadn't arrived yet. Kaman was walking the perimeter with a loaded weapon. Elise racked her brains for an idea. No one had bothered to gather evidence from the scene of the fire. Determined to prove herself to her family, Elise crept into her parents' room, where Lynn was resting. With as much care as she could muster, she eased her mother's trunk open at the foot of the bed. Inside were the spare gun, ammuntion, and bullet-proof vest her mother kept handy. As quietly as possible, she took these and her mother's long, black leather jacket from the peg on the wall by the door. Donning the gear was easy enough, she'd practiced often and had a good knowledge of the equipment. Satisfied, she opened her bedroom window and looked around for Kaman. He was around the other side of the house.
The property was situated at the base of a large hill littered with boulders and outcroppings. It was relatively easy to slip past Kaman and work her way up the hill. She'd have to go on foot, but she was used to running and it was cold anyhow. Once she had rounded the hill, she began the run down the side of the road that would lead her back to the scene. Though her wrist ached, she could already feel the bones mending themselves. Filled with exhiliration at her newfound freedom, Elise set out to prove to her family that she was no longer the little girl that they thought she was.
"I'll take care of it as soon as we've met up with your mother." Michael was driving like the hounds of hell were chasing them. Elise had never seen her father this angry. "When I find out who did this to you, they will pay," he added, though it was more for his own sanity than anything else.
"What happened?" No one said anything. Elise finally gave up with the question and allowed everyone the chance to gather their thoughts. Selene met Michael at the door."What the hell happened here?" she inquired, holding the door open as Kaman carried Elise inside. "A bombing. We aren't certain yet who did this, but Eric will want to know immediately." Selene sighed heavily. "I was afraid something like this might happen. I knew peace couldn't last forever." Michael filled Selene in on the details while he set Elise's wrist with a homemade splint. "It had to have been one of our kind. The Lycans and Vampires are the only ones who would target Elise. To the humans, she's just a teenage girl," Selene mused.
"Phone Eric and let him know what happened, Kaman. Every detail you can. Michael, get my case and load it into the car. I'll be there in a second. Kaman will stay behind with Elise and Lynn"
"What say do I have in this?" Elise burst out. "I'm not going to sit here while someone's threatening my life! Let me go with you"
"No, it's too dangerous," Selene answered calmly.
"Only because I'm a girl in your eyes! I'm old enough to look after myself now! I'm sick of being followed around by my babysitters while you and dad visit Eric and go on these 'outings"
"Selene?" Michael looked pleadingly at the woman he loved. He was all for Elise gaining a little independence. At her age, Eric had been sitting in on Underworld politics.
"No, Michael! Not her too!" There was something like fear in Selene's eyes as she argued. Selene was loath to send another child into the lion's den. Elise was supposed to live a normal life, a life removed from court. She was supposed to be the little girl Selene and Michael were raising as part of their new life. They'd sacrificed great amounts to keep the peace, and although they had removed themselves from the nighttime society, they'd still been needed from time to time. Selene had always remained firm that her daughter would never experience the life she had been forced to lead since the fateful night Viktor had chosen to spare her life.
Michael heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Elise, but I have to agree with your mother this time. There will be a lot of unrest among the Vampires and Lycans. We'll send for you as soon as we know it's safe"
"Eric's sent reinforcements to cover the house. And a doctor, since he knows Michael is in a hurry." Kaman appeared in the doorway. The front room of their house had been modernized in black iron and glass. Leather furniture accented the room, which was full of photographs. Elise stared at the nearest family portrait. Three eternally youthful faces crowded around her, a small toddler on a silk pillow. It wasn't a normal family portrait, with a stately grandmother and a son who looked younger than his parents. As her parents drove away in their car, Elise contemplated the fact that she would never be normal. She'd never even seen the sun, or made any friends. They didn't realize how lonely she felt. No one, that is, but Eric.
Eric, her brother, was not like either of his parents. He had silver-blond hair that peaked at his brow, and his eyes were as dark as obsidian. He had been old when Elise had been born, but he was still young by standards of the company he kept. As soon as he'd laid eyes on her, Eric had sworn he would never love anyone as much as he loved this little being. Because of this, he had always kept anything she told him confidential and offered her advice on things she could never talk to their parents about.
"That's it! Kaman, let me have your phone, please." The puzzled bodyguard passed his mistress the phone without question. "I'll be in my room." Kaman nodded. She dialed the direct number to Eric's study. She was actually surprised when her brother answered.
"Eric Corvin"
"Eric, it's Elise." She instantly felt better for hearing his voice on the other end of the line. "Are you all right? What can I do for you, Ellie?" he asked anxiously. He sounded genuninely concerned.
"Mom wouldn't let me come," she said abruptly.
"She's right, you know. It isn't safe here. Believe me, Elise, I would love for you to be here right now. I miss you. But there's a lot of arguing going on. Raze and Xanatos are having a hard time keeping things calm. The Vampires are angry because they think the attack was made by Lycans, and the Lycans are angry for being accused. I'm sure we'll be able to bring you here as soon as Dad comes and talks. They always listen"
"Not you too! No one wants me to go! I'm part of this family too! Part of our world!" Eric allowed his sister to let off steam.
"I know you must be frustrated, Ellie. Just be patient." Part of Elise saw the sense in what her brother was saying. But the other side, the side struggling for independence and recognition, was getting the better of her. Reason wasn't playing a vital role.
"I'm tired of being patient. Everyone else leaves me completely out of this, like I am not a part of what's happening here. Need I remind you that I was the one attacked"
"All the more reason to keep you safe. You're the target, Elise"
"I love you," she said, "but you're wrong." With that, she hung up. Looking out her window, she could see that the extra security hadn't arrived yet. Kaman was walking the perimeter with a loaded weapon. Elise racked her brains for an idea. No one had bothered to gather evidence from the scene of the fire. Determined to prove herself to her family, Elise crept into her parents' room, where Lynn was resting. With as much care as she could muster, she eased her mother's trunk open at the foot of the bed. Inside were the spare gun, ammuntion, and bullet-proof vest her mother kept handy. As quietly as possible, she took these and her mother's long, black leather jacket from the peg on the wall by the door. Donning the gear was easy enough, she'd practiced often and had a good knowledge of the equipment. Satisfied, she opened her bedroom window and looked around for Kaman. He was around the other side of the house.
The property was situated at the base of a large hill littered with boulders and outcroppings. It was relatively easy to slip past Kaman and work her way up the hill. She'd have to go on foot, but she was used to running and it was cold anyhow. Once she had rounded the hill, she began the run down the side of the road that would lead her back to the scene. Though her wrist ached, she could already feel the bones mending themselves. Filled with exhiliration at her newfound freedom, Elise set out to prove to her family that she was no longer the little girl that they thought she was.
A/N: Sorry for the grammatical errors. I'm writing in Wordpad and for some reason it likes to omit periods where there are quotes following. Also, thanks to those who reviewed! I was surprised to see reviews after one day! They mean a lot to me!