Once we made it back into the den, Gregory decided to lay back down for a few more hours. I walked over to one of the shelves to grab a book. Picking up an interesting mystery novel, I turned towards the door to head outside and get some much-needed sunshine for a little bit.
"Where are you going?" Gregory whispered suspiciously.
"Outside to read," I whispered back to him, almost forgetting about his need to know my whereabouts.
"What? Why? It's too dangerous," he hissed out while quickly standing up and making his way over to me, "Just come back to bed."
"Gregory, I'm human," I softly reminded him, "I need the vitamin D from the sun to stay healthy."
He did not like my response. Probably because it was filled with facts and logic that he couldn't argue.
"Anna will be sad if she wakes up and you aren't here," he replied in a hushed voice. Clearly not above using guilt tactics to win.
I wasn't falling for it.
"Then tell me what time she normally gets up and I'll set my watch to get back here before she does," I countered back at him.
"Your brother could wake up," Gregory began, "She might bolt awake if she hears Tony stirring."
"You and I both know that Rudolph probably snuck in here while I was sleeping and secretly played with Tony all night," I shot back.
His averted gaze told me I was right in my assumption.
Yeah, my brother wasn't going to get up until his vampire friends got up.
"I don't like you going out there by yourself," Gregory finally whispered, "You could get hurt and none of us could come to your aid."
"Gregory," I began, giving his arm a gentle reassuring squeeze, "I won't go far, I promise. There is a small garden in the back with a nice wooden bench. I'll perch myself right there, close by to the castle, and come back before everyone wakes up."
He gave a growl in aggravation before giving me one nod of his head.
"Don't stray from that spot for anything, understood?" Gregory demanded.
I smiled at him before cheekily replying, "I never thought you would be the possessive type."
"Us vampires are territorial, not possessive. There is a difference," he shot back, repeating the same argument that I had used on Tony a couple of night's back.
Rolling my eyes, I bid him pleasant dreams and promised to be back before the sun sets.
His eyes never strayed from my retreating form as I walked out of the den towards the connecting main hall.
Territorial indeed…
I had been lounging on the wooden bench for a couple of hours, reading my newly acquired mystery novel, when the sound of a large engine caught my attention.
Sitting straight up, I looked around the small garden in confusion. No one is nearby and our car isn't big enough to make that kind of sound—
Icy fear wrapped its chilling fingers around my heart.
Oh, God, somebody was at the castle.
Leaping up from my seated position, I darted towards the stone steps that lead to the front entrance. By the time I got halfway up the steps, I heard the loud engine cut off.
No, no, no…what if they get to the door before I get there?
It's not locked at the moment and they could easily enter the castle.
No, I won't let anything happen to my family and friends.
I just cleared the last steps when I breathlessly scanned the area, trying to spot the intruder. My eyes landed on a familiar mop of red hair. It was the same man who was helping Rookery hunt vampires.
Anger flooded my veins and I saw red.
I practically vaulted myself the remaining feet to put myself between him and the front door.
How dare this man come back here?
He spotted me and immediately put his hands up in surrender.
"Uhm…hello! I don't know if you remember m—"
"You!" I interrupted him, bellowing with rage, "How dare you show your face around here?"
"I—well you see—I," He tried to stammer out.
"Where is he?" I demanded.
"W-who?" He fearfully asked me.
"Rookery," I snarled.
"Oh, no, I will not work with that lunatic ever again!" He passionately declared, "He tried to stop me from leaving my workshop in Transylvania and we got into a bit of a…scuffle."
It was at that moment that I realized his green sweater was torn and that there was dried blood on his overalls. Just like his clothes, his face was looking worst for wear as well. One of his eyes was blackened, his nose was clearly broken, and his lip was busted. It looked as though Rookery got the upper hand in the fight.
"That doesn't answer my question on his whereabouts," I prodded, needing to make sure that the homicidal lunatic was not on the premises. My eyes scanned the sides, thinking maybe he was waiting and biding his time. Plotting to ambush us when we least expect it.
"Oh, sorry, I managed to hit him with that wrench of his before he…"the red-headed man trailed off, not enjoying that particular memory, "Anyway, once he was knocked out, I shoved him into a closet and locked him in so he couldn't follow me. I'll ring the authorities to let him out after I've talked to your family and destroy those horrible devices."
"Devices?" I warily asked him.
"Yes, all the vampire hunting gear I invented over the years for that- that psychopath!" He angrily cried, "I even brought the blueprints with me so that he wouldn't be able to convince anyone to duplicate my weapon designs."
The man started pulling out papers and design layouts from the satchel around his shoulders. Trying to prove to me that he was being completely honest and earnest about his atonement.
"I heard a loud engine earlier," I began questioning him, still not satisfied with my interrogation, "Where did that noise come from?"
"Oh, there are a lot of devices and weapons that I created, packing it all is part of the reason why it took me so long to get here, and I had to drive one of the semis from my old workshop." He informed me while presenting the large truck that was parked just before the bridge. It was clearly too large to drive over the small, wooden bridge.
A plan was starting to form in my head.
But I was going to need help.
…And everyone's approval…
"What's your name?" I asked him, winding down my investigation.
"Oh, it's Maney," he answered me automatically, still frightened of me from our last encounter.
"Is that a first or last name?" I added on to the question, not liking his vague answer.
"Oh, it's kind of a nickname…"
"What is your full name," I clarified, tired of beating around the bush.
"…Emmanuel Hirsch," he reluctantly replied, clearly hiding something that was associated with his full name.
I'd have to ask mom to look into it later.
"Thank you for that information," I acknowledged before introducing myself, "My name is Lucretia Thompson."
Only my friends and family can call me Lucy or Lulu.
Since, he is a former enemy and could possibly be a current foe, he can call me Lucretia.
Only time will tell if he will be given the chance to call me Lucy.
"Oh, it's nice to meet you—well formally that is," Maney gushed to me.
"You'll forgive me if I don't bear the same sentiments at the moment," I snipped at him, "Seeing as how you tried to kill my little brother and his best friend."
He at least had the decency to bow his head in shame, "Yes, well…that is understandable…"
Great…I feel as though I've just kicked a puppy.
I needed backup with this situation.
"Maney, do you own a cellphone?" I inquired.
"Oh, yes ma'am, I do!" He happily responded while pulling out the small cellular device.
"Wonderful, may I borrow your phone for a moment?" I politely requested.
"Yes, yes of course," he obliged while quickly handing it to me.
I thanked him before quickly dialing my mom's number, hoping she was up or near her own phone. Uneasiness racked my body at the thought of allowing this man in the castle of sleeping vampires or leaving him outside with his own weapons while I ran for help. Neither scenario was optimal in my eyes, and such events should be avoided at all costs.
"Hello?" My mom groggily greeted into the receiver of her phone.
"Mom, it's me," I told her, not letting Maney out of my field of vision for a moment.
"Lucy?" She asked in confusion, "What number are you calling from? How'd you get a cellphone? Where—"
"Mom could you and dad come down to the front of the castle…it's urgent," I interrupted her, desperately wanting her help and guidance on this one.
"We're on our way," she reassured me before hanging up her phone.
I was about to give him back his mobile but thought better on it. What if this was a trap and he texted Rookery? No, it's better to hold onto his communication to the outside world until I am absolutely certain that his intentions are pure.
He either didn't notice me or understood why I pocketed his cellphone. Because all he did was stand there, awkwardly shuffling his feet while waiting for my parents to arrive.
This was going to be a long day.
Mom and dad soon arrived outside and to say they were shocked by our unexpected visitor would have been an understatement of the century.
They were quick to approach me and make sure that I was alright. Once they were reassured of my safety, I explained to them why Maney was here in the first place. They were wary about the situation like I was. However, when I explained to them how Maney's cooperation could help fulfill some of my plans and ideas, they were more susceptible to the idea of his staying.
But we would have to get clan approval before anything.
I agreed that our new vampire friends should have the final say in the matter since this was their home. We could live anywhere in the world without any worries, they can't. It wouldn't be fair of us to give them a small dose of freedom and normalcy then yank that away from them.
We decided that it would be the best idea to destroy all the weapons and blueprints now before the clan woke up. That way they could feel safer with the ex-hunter around if all his arsenal was taken from him. The first thing we did was start a bonfire by using the wooden stakes and blueprints to get it started. Then we ripped the hard drives out of every heavy machinery before smashing it to bits and throwing it in the fire. Everything was going to be ash, all the garlic, crucifixes, UV flashlights, etc.
I paused for a moment when I came across a strange rectangular device that looked like a computer, I looked up towards Maney in question.
"Oh, that's my 'infra-dead' radar device," Maney proudly explained, "I built the radar system to detect vampires! Uh, but I won't track down vampires anymore—honest!"
I nodded my head before reassuring the rabbit-like man, "I believe you, but I'm going to need you to burn this."
My hands exchanged the device into his. He nodded his head enthusiastically before ripping out the hard drive and tossing it into the fire.
Good, he wasn't just blowing smoke when he said he wanted to atone for his actions.
The whole radar system gave me a couple of ideas to help keep track of everyone, but that would have to be an approved plan for a later date. Right now, I just wanted to focus on getting Maney's probational period approved by the clan.
Gregory was going to be livid.
The truck was finally cleared out and the items were almost done burning.
Mom told me to go inside while they made sure everything was destroyed before the clan got up around 7pm. I nodded my head in understanding before asking her how she wanted to introduce Maney to them.
"I'm going to need you to ask Freda and Frederick to come outside to discuss something with us," she told me, hesitating to get me anymore involved with this fiasco.
"Mom, I think it would be best if Gregory and I come out too," I honestly replied, "I'm already part of this and Gregory is the future leader of the clan. He's told me before that it is tradition that current and future clan leaders are present at every meeting."
Mom thought it over before reluctantly agreeing.
She was probably thinking the same thing I was, the more comfortable the clan is then the more likely they would let Maney help us. If that meant adhering to centuries old traditions then so be it.
With my mission in mind, I made my way back to the castle. Trying to think of a good way to break the news to Gregory first. He was already on edge about me going outside in the first place, I can only imagine his response to this new turn of events.
My feet carried me towards the den where I saw everybody still sleeping peacefully. It was almost 5pm, I would have another hour or two before the children started stirring. If I wanted to talk to Gregory first then the time would be now.
I tiptoed to the pillow nest where he was sleeping before gently shaking his shoulder.
"Gregory," I gently whispered before becoming firmer in my ministrations.
Come on, Gregory, I need you to w—
His hand suddenly latched onto mine pulling me forward, baring his teeth at me in defense. Surprise overtook my body and stopped me from making any sound. I was in such a state of shock that I didn't even breathe in that moment.
Gregory finally realized who was in his arms and ceased his assault. He seemed mortified at how he reacted and was about to speak when I put my hand to his mouth. I silently made the shushing sign while pointing over to the still sleeping siblings. He nodded his head in understanding, so I removed my hand and motioned for him to follow me.
I led him to my bedroom and swiftly closed my door behind me. Before I could back away from the door, he placed his palms flat on the wooden frame boxing me in and halting my movements.
"Are—are you okay?" he hesitantly asked. It was almost as though he was scared of my answer.
"Of course," I answered him in confusion, turning my body to face him, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Do you not recall me manhandling you just now?" Gregory asked me in astonishment.
"I surprised you, Gregory," I informed him, "You were fast asleep, and your body thought you were being attacked, so you reacted in self-defense. It's a completely normal reaction."
"Norm—normal reaction? That wasn't a smile on your face when I grabbed you and bared my fangs earlier," Gregory deadpanned, "That was a look of utter terror."
"No, terror occurs when you have a fear," I irritably explained, "I wasn't afraid of you, Gregory, I was just… startled."
He let out a sigh of frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation.
"Do you know how exasperating it can be talking to you?" He rhetorically asked.
I simply smiled and shrugged my shoulders, "I guess it's just one of my many charms."
He laughed at that before pulling away from me. I was trying to get him in a light-hearted mood before revealing my bad news to him.
"So…why did you wake me up?" He asked me in curiosity.
Darn, I was hoping for a few more minutes to butter him up before having to reveal the situation outside.
"Well, you see…" I hesitantly started, not sure how to begin to tell him of our visitor, "Remember when I went outside—"
"Even though I told you it was too dangerous, yes I am very much aware," Gregory interrupted me with a look of irritation on his face.
"Right, well, I was reading on that bench in the garden when…uh…we kind of received a… visitor," I stammered out.
No sooner had those words left my lips did a look of furious rage cross his face.
"What?!" Gregory shouted at me.
He took two long strides, to stand in front of me, before he immediately started checking my body for any previously missed injuries.
"Are you hurt?" He worriedly questioned, "Are they still outside? How many are there? Do they have any weapons? Why didn't yo—"
"Gregory!" I shouted to get his attention, "I'm fine, really! There are just a couple of things I have to tell you first and I know that you aren't going to like it."
My hands cupped his face so that he would calm down and stop fussing over me. He watched me, worry still evident in his eyes, but he let me speak.
I told him everything.
I told him about how it was Maney who I found in front of the castle. And I told him about Maney's tale of knocking Rookery out and how he wanted to atone for what he'd done. I went on to explain some of my plans and ideas that Maney could help out with if he was allowed to stay. He seemed to perk up about us getting their coffins back before his face went back to a neutral stare. So, I carried on with my tale and described how I called my parents for further assistance and used Maney's phone to ring them. My fingers quickly pulled the device out of my back pocket to show Gregory my proof.
Not that I needed it.
I'm not like Tony, I don't have the imagination to come up with such a fantastic tale.
Gregory only nodded his head, silently ushering me to continue.
I wrapped up the story by telling him how we destroyed all of his inventions together and that they were currently being turned to ash in a burn pile. I had thought that this last part would have brought a smile to his face at least. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
"That's where we are at now," I started concluding, "My parents want to talk to your parents about letting him stay, but obviously your clan has the final say. At the end of the day, this is your place and we don't want to overstep any boundaries."
He just silently stood there.
"Gregory?" I hesitantly called out his name, "Did you hear what I said?"
"Perfectly."
"Oh, good! What do you think about everything? Do you think your parents will let him stay?" I hopefully asked him, clearly not noticing how tense his stance was.
"What were you thinking?" He questioned me, barely containing the anger in his veins.
"…You don't want him to stay do you?" I guessed, not responding to his question.
He balked at me with an incredulous look on his face.
The next thing I knew, my back was being slammed against the door and Gregory was snarling in my face.
"Did you not think of your own safety when you foolishly threw yourself in harm's way!" Gregory growled out, giving my shoulders a slight shake to make me come to my senses.
"I didn't throw myself in harm's way!" I yelled, trying to defend myself, "I mean what was I supposed to do? Let him waltz into the castle with sleeping vampires?"
"You could have ran into the castle and locked the door behind you, you little idiot!" He shouted back at me, clearly not impressed by my survival instincts.
I stared blankly at him for a moment before honestly admitting, "I—I hadn't thought of that…"
Gregory stared at me in disbelief.
"Why was I cursed with the smartest idiot as my friend?" He finally questioned before slumping his head onto my shoulder in defeat.
"I guess…some people are just lucky like that," I informed him while sympathetically patting his head.
"Shut up," Gregory growled at me.
I giggled at him before pulling his pouting form into a hug.
"I am sorry, by the way," I told him, "I know that my apology might not matter to you, since it seems as though I'm apologizing to you a lot lately, but I am sorry for not thinking clearly in that situation."
"You don't get it," He muttered, pulling me closer in our embrace, "But it's fine…I'll just never let you out of my sight again."
"Gregory…" I began in a reprimanding tone.
"What? I think it's only fair that until you obtain better survival instincts, that you will be connected with me at the hip," he told me as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Gregory, I need sunlight—"
"What you need is a leash and collar—"
"So, I can take you on walks? Sounds perfect!" I exclaimed happily clapping my hands.
"Lucy…" he finally groaned in exasperation.
"You know you sound like my dad when you do that," I cheekily informed him.
"Oh, really? Your dad makes your heart race and face blush when he says your name?" He teased me.
"…I really dislike you sometimes," I solemnly told him with a pout on my face.
Gregory heartily laughed at my immature behavior.
"Am I getting a bulb of garlic 'launched' at my face?" He asked me with a cocky grin on his face.
"Damn straight, you are!" I confidently exclaimed before sticking my tongue out at him.
He shook his head before pulling me back into a hug, his head resting on the top of my head.
"My family and I have survived centuries with hunters attempting to stake us during the daytime. We aren't as defenseless as you might believe," Gregory told me, rubbing soothing circles on my back, "Please don't throw yourself in an unnecessary situation like that again."
I curled myself further beneath his chin before responding, "I promise, Gregory."
"Thank you."
We stood like that for a little while longer.
Just enjoying the peace and silence.
I immensely enjoyed his company and I was still trying to figure out how a body so cold, could make me feel so warm.
Gregory and I had walked back to the den and laid back down in our previous positions to wait for the others to wake up.
Anna had curled her body back into my side and I all but melted at the sight of the sweet girl. Gregory rolled his eyes and told me that I was as sappy as my brother to fall for her charms. I whacked his arm in response and told him that he couldn't deny the cuteness either.
He laughed at that and we laid there quietly talking to one another.
We talked about anything and everything in that comfy room.
"So, wait, you're saying that crucifixes don't hurt vampires?" I asked in amazement, "I just burned a whole bunch of crucifixes, solidifying my spot in Hell, for nothing?"
Gregory chuckled at that, "Unfortunately…yes. It was a misunderstanding a few thousand years back where an injured vampire went to attack a human and the human had a cross on him. The vampire, fatigued and drained from their injuries, reeled back in alarm thinking it was a stake. Once the situation calmed down, the vampire realized what happened and decided to use it to our species' advantage. We were trained to act like crosses hurt us in order to avoid humans using actual damaging weapons such as garlic, fire, daggers, stakes…"
"Oh my God," I whispered in awe, "That is absolutely genius."
"We thought so too," Gregory agreed, "It's helped keep a lot of our inexperienced young from getting killed when they go hunt for the first time. Mostly because it's more fashionable for a mortal to wear a cross rather than a string of stakes and garlic around their neck."
I giggled at his assessment before further commenting, "Man, I wish I could shake that vampire's hand that suffered a loss like that, but still turned it around to work for their entire species' benefit."
"Hmmm… so would I, seeing as how they are ash by now," he told me nonchalantly.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, turning my head towards him.
"This was thousands of years ago," he began informing me, "Once a vampire is soul bonded, they age by at least one year every 50 years. If the hunters don't get a vampire then, eventually, their aging will."
"Soul bonded?" I further questioned, not completely understanding his term.
"Vampires are basically half of a soul stuck in a shell," he began explaining, "We age like normal humans until we are about 10 years old, then we stop growing until our soul finds its other half. Once our soul finds its better half, we grow at a normal rate until we become anywhere from 20 to 30 years old. Then, our aging slows down, as I stated earlier, until we become ash. For example, if a soul bonded vampire lives for 300 years then they have only aged 6 years during that time. This makes it appear as though we are immortal. There are, however, rare instances that a soul-bonded vampire ages past 30 and grows until they are 50 or 60 years old. An example of such would be Aunt Wulftrud and Uncle Gernot, but they are very rare. And they usually only occur when both soul bonds are vampire-born."
"How come they aged so much?"
"No idea," He told me, "We don't necessarily have an exact science of why some vampires age more or less than others, but we have a theory that it could be a genetic survival tool to help us blend in with the humans. It would be pretty odd if I were to introduce my grandfather and they looked 25 years old."
"Wow…" I whispered in amazement at all this new information. I opened my mouth to ask a question that was nagging me in the back of my mind. It might be too personal, I shouldn't ask—
"Just ask your question," Gregory commanded with a small smile.
I blinked at him before blurting, "Are you a mind reader as well?"
His grin became bigger.
"No, Lucy, I'm not a mind reader," he informed me with a click of his tongue, "You are just horrible at lying and hiding things."
"You act like that's a bad thing."
"True, it is indeed a good thing," he agreed, "Now ask your question."
"You said that vampires stop aging at 10 years old," I began, still hesitant in asking him this question, "But…you and Rudolph…well you both have aged."
He had a far away look on his face.
God, I should have just kept my big mouth shut.
"The thing with soul bonds," he sadly began, "Is that your soul recognizes its better half, but the vampire won't notice a change until they begin aging."
He sighed out before finishing his statement.
"So, you could bump into your bonded on, let's say…a train. You ride the train, get off the train, and continue your journey," he said trying to give me an example, "A year or two goes by and you notice that you've begun to grow. Your soul knows they've met its other half and started the aging process. Now you're in a scramble to try to pinpoint who your bonded is by backtracking your steps. However, with hunters constantly on your trail, it makes retracing your steps difficult and your bonded could…disappear during that time frame."
"Disappear?" I hesitantly asked.
"Once your soul has recognized the bond, it will keep the body aging unless it senses the half of your soul leave the mortal plane," he explained further, not wanting to say the word.
"Your…did that happen to you?" I hesitantly asked, wanting to understand, "Did your soul bond…die?"
"…I'm 426 years old," he replied, "I was about 66 years old when I finally started aging. So, I had been 10 years old for 56 years before I finally aged. I was so—ecstatic… until I realized that my family hadn't come in contact with any new vampires. The soul bond is the main reason why we try to limit our contact with others. It helps narrow down who the potential bonded is when it's a small selection."
"Wait…so you can soul bond with mortals?" I questioned.
His fangs glinted in the dimming light, "There is a reason why we are able to turn humans into vampires."
"That…makes sense," I commented nodding my head.
"Anyway," Gregory continued on with his story, "My family and I were on the run from hunters and were forced to flee through multiple villages before we were safe. Once we had settled down, my parents saw my growth and put two and two together. We tried for six years to make our way back to the previous locations as fast as we could, but…"
"You were too late," I finished for him.
"Yes…" he croaked out, "I don't even know what they looked like or what their name was. I—I feel as though I failed them. They were my bonded and I can't even keep their memory alive."
"Gregory…" I began, not knowing what I could possibly say to make this better.
"I'm fine, don't worry," Gregory soothed me, trying to make me feel better, "There is still a chance that I'll meet them again."
"What do you mean?"
"Contrary to popular belief," Gregory began to inform me, "Souls of our bonded don't disappear or die. Our soul halves will keep coming back to this world until we leave this plane together as one. Sometimes the soul half returns to the mortal plane faster than others, but, eventually, Rudolph and I will get our second chance."
"Uh, am I able to ask about Rudolph…or?" I hesitantly inquired, still not sure where the boundaries lie.
"It's no secret," he informed me, "Especially since father has announced that you are part of our clan."
I smiled at his reassurances, trying to scoot closer to hear his story.
"Well, first you will have to know that I was about 100 years old when Rudolph and Anna were born," Gregory began his tale.
"Wait…are they?"
"Twins? Yes, they are," he told me nonchalantly, "We just say that he's older as a cover story for the age difference. We even let them pick out different dates to celebrate their births. There was a time when Rudolph enjoyed his birthday… However, I'm getting ahead of myself."
Gregory cleared his throat and paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.
"At the time, we were living as aristocrats when Rudolph immediately began aging as a normal mortal boy would. I was a bit envious since he started aging right away on his eleventh birthday, but I was overall happy for my little brother. We were able to quickly pinpoint his bonded since it was his childhood friend. A daughter of one of my father's business associates. My family and I performed the ritual to check if they were fated halves—"
"Ritual?" I interrupted him with my question.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Gregory began, "There was a vampire centuries ago that was involved in alchemy and helped take the guesswork out of detecting true soul bonds. Not all mortals react well to a vampire's bite and it can lead to…lethal consequences. So, this vampire created a ritual that can be performed on Beltane or on Samhain; either one is ideal since the veil between living and dead is thinnest and it's easier for souls to connect."
"Are you—you're serious right now!" I gushed out in a harsh whisper, "Geeze, what else has your species discovered while mine had their heads in the sand?"
He laughed at my praise.
"May I continue my story?" He requested.
"Yes, please do," I told him, still enraptured by all this new knowledge.
"Well, we performed the ritual on Beltane, since it was the closest time, and she turned out to be his bonded," Gregory carried on, "All was well and good. We struck up an engagement with the family. The girl was delighted to be engaged to her best friend. Mind you, we didn't tell them of our vampiric nature, but I'm pretty sure Rudolph told her about our family secret, however, I can't say for certain."
"Why do you think he told her?" I asked in curiosity.
"Because… when they burned her at the stake she told the priest that she didn't care what he was—that she loved him…"Gregory trailed off, remorse evident in his eyes, "According to our sources she didn't seem surprised by the charges laid against her…I just wish that we could have saved her and her family in time…"
"H—how old was she?" I stuttered out.
"She…she was 13 years old, the same age as Rudolph," Gregory told me.
"How'd they even find out that you were vampires?" I asked, trying to avoid the same mistakes made in the past. I can't allow anyone to discover my new friends.
"Remember when I said that Anna and Rudolph are actually twins?" He asked, "Well it becomes abundantly apparent that the family isn't human when one of the twins continues to age while the other is left alone by time."
"Gregory…I'm so sorry," I whispered an apology.
I know that I had nothing to do with what they all went through, but it still hurts all the same to hear the tragedy that this family and others have experienced.
"Rudolph…Rudolph wasn't the same after that and I swore to not let mortals, neither friend nor foe, near my family ever again," Gregory confided in me, finally letting out all the grief and pain that he's had to hold in all these years.
"You let us in," I quietly reminded him.
"Heh, you more so barged into our lives," he pointed out with a small smile.
I rolled my eyes before smacking his arm in retaliation.
"You know what I mean…" I trailed off.
"Yeah…I know…Which is why I- I'm—I'm begging you, Lucy. Please…stay safe," He pleaded, repeating his wish from earlier in the day.
"I…I will," I promised again, "I know I promised earlier, but…I never realized what you've all been through and—well, I'll make extra sure to not let that sad look cross your face again."
My fingers reached for his own and he intertwined his hand with mine.
"Thank you, Lucy."
"You're welcome, Gregory…" I replied, "…Did you want to change the subject to something happier?"
"Yes, please!"
"Okay, okay, so…crosses don't hurt you, but what about silver?" I asked trying to make sure that all my vampire facts were in order.
He snorted in reply, "I'm a vampire, not a werewolf."
"Wait…wait—werewolves exist!?" I practically shouted in astonishment.
"Do you really believe that we are the only cryptids that you humans haven't come in contact with?"
"Gregory, seriously, are you pulling my—Oh my god, you're serious!"
"As the plague…which, by the way, my parents have informed me was not a fun time," Gregory added as a side note.
"Wait, how old are your parents?"
He was about to answer me when a voice rang out from the threshold.
"Gregory, love, if you answer that question then when I ground you, I will actually put you in the ground," Freda told her son in a sweet voice that did not reach her eyes.
"Female vampires do not like sharing their age with anyone," Gregory whispered to me.
"I think that's all females, Gregory," I whispered back with a laugh.
"Now what are you two doing up so early?" Freda asked us while checking on the other children who were still dead to the world.
"Well, I couldn't sleep any longer and decided to get ready for the day," I began telling Freda, "And I must have accidently woken up Gregory because he got up to find me and bring me back downstairs with the others."
I left off the part of my going outside and our unexpected guest for now.
I'm pretty sure that my mom and dad want to talk to Freda and Frederick first about what happened.
Freda paused and turned towards Gregory with a knowing smile.
He looked at every spot in the room except his mother's eyes.
"Gregory has always been the protector in our family, so, it makes sense that he would want you to stay with the group," Freda informed me, "Our group mentality is how us vampires have survived for so long. I do hope he didn't offend you by making you stay put."
"Not at all," I reassured her quickly, not wanting to get Gregory in trouble, "We were just talking about vampire history and some of the tactics you've used over the years to trick the hunters."
"Ah, I have a feeling you are talking about the faux crucifix affliction," Freda addressed with a smile at my awe.
"Oh my—yes!" I began gushing again, "Seriously, that was absolutely genius. Not to mention that you've tricked everyone for not a couple of years but for centuries—it just, blows my mind."
Both vampires looked at me in alarm at my last statement.
"Oh, oh no," I began assuring them, "It's just another expression. The term 'blows my mind' means that it really amazes me or makes me excited."
They both seemed to calm down at my clarification.
"Oh, thank goodness," Freda began, "I thought that there was some sort of…illness that put you in danger when you heard something too exciting."
"No, no, I'm fine, honest. I just love hearing amazing stories like that," I reassured her once more.
"Hey, where is Mr. Sackville-Bagg?" I asked her, noticing that her significant other was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh, he sensed something was off in the castle and went to make sure that all the clan was safe," She informed me while taking a seat in the chair in the corner.
I sat up so that I could politely continue having a conversation with her.
"He 'sensed' something?" I inquired, wanting more clarification on that statement.
"Yes, us vampires have almost a sixth sense while we are sleeping in case an intruder enters our lair," Freda began explaining, "The current clan leaders and future clan leaders, such as Gregory, are trained in honing this sense to help protect the clan. It's probably why Gregory was able to sense your absence so easily."
Gregory shifted guiltily in his spot.
Maybe he was embarrassed that he wasn't able to sense Maney come onto the premises.
"I tried telling Frederick that we live with mortals now, so it was probably someone from your family moving about," Freda continued, missing my own looks of guilt at not telling her about the former hunter outside, "But, he wants to make sure that nobody stepped foot in the castle."
"So, is he able to sense only the castle's inhabitants or can he sense somebody stepping foot on the land as well?" I questioned, trying to gauge her reaction to see if I needed to confess my sins now or wait until the sun sets.
"Oh, only the castle," she told me, "Eventually, both him and Gregory will be able to sense all of the castle grounds and the surrounding area, but we have to remain on a property for a while for them to be able to…get a sense of the land and its occupants."
"So, neither one won't be able to tell the difference between my family or a hunter for a while…" I trailed off, thinking of ways to help in the meantime.
"Your mother warned me about that look," Freda smiled down at me, "What are you concerned about, my dear."
Are all mothers mind readers or is just the ones I come in contact with?
I sheepishly smiled before telling her, "I was thinking that we should build a wall or fence around the property's border and have secret cameras set up near it. They'd have to be motion detector cameras so that way we could get an alert on our phones whenever there is movement and not have to constantly stare at a screen waiting for something to happen. Since there is only one drive- way to get into the castle, we'd set up a guard station, hidden by the curved road—we don't want to illicit curious minds—and we would hire a guard to watch over the property during the day."
My legs were pacing at this point, no longer able to contain my excitement on my new plans.
"Obviously we'd have to dress up somebody from the clan to relieve the day shift guard of his duties and 'take over' their shift so they don't ask questions of why we only want security during daylight hours. Tony can use his special effects makeup to help make them look more human…Oh! What do you think of a stone wall? I was considering a metal fence with barbed wires on top so that way nobody could climb over. The only problem with that is metal can be easily weakened and clipped. Plus, with the whole being able to fly thing, I worry about someone accidently flying into the barbs. I've also noticed that there is something about a barbed wired fence that makes rebellious teens want to know what's on the other side. That could lead to problems—"
"Lulu…" I heard a groan come from inside the fort, "It's too early to plan world domination—go back to sleep!"
"Well, good morning to you too, grouchy pants," I greeted making my way over to Tony, "Or should I say good evening?"
He grumbled at me before turning his back towards me.
"Come on, Tony it's time to start getting up and ready for the day," I chided while trying to pull the covers off of him.
"You just had to say something, didn't you Tony?" Rudolph groused out from beside his best friend.
"She would have talked your mom's ear off if she kept rambling," Tony answered in response while letting me take the blanket from him so he could rub the sleep from his eyes.
"Rude," I commented towards him before folding the first blanket of the stack, "Alright, boys, that also includes you, Gregory—it's time to get up and help fold these sheets and blankets."
"Ugh, why do we have to get up and Anna gets to sleep in?" Rudolph enviously questioned looking at his still sleeping sister. His comment pulled me away from my glaring match with Gregory who was currently challenging my former demand of his assistance with cleaning.
"Because the three of you are already awake and she's sill sleeping," I informed them while taking the pillow fort apart.
"No, she's not," Gregory called out from behind me, a wicked grin growing on his face.
I turned around to look from him to the sleeping girl in puzzlement before catching on.
She was faking it.
"Now, Gregory, you can't tell me that sweet, innocent Anna would willingly lie to me, her bestest buddy in the whole world?" I asked while walking towards the little faker, "Anna would never fake being asleep to get out of helping me clean up!"
A small smile twitched on her face from my theatrics.
I let out a shocked gasp before pulling the small girl into my arms, "Anna how could you!?"
I began tickling her in retaliation, the small girl squealed and laughed before flying out of my grasp and towards her mother.
"Gregory, why did you tattle on me!" She pouted to her older brother.
"Hey, if I have to help clean up then you have to suffer with me," he informed his little sister who stuck out her tongue in return.
I laughed at the two before pulling apart the pillow nest.
"Alright, that's enough playtime," I told the group, "Faster we work together to put everything away then the faster we can eat."
Everyone agreed with me before doing their share to clean up the den.
It turned 7'oclock just as we finished putting away the last of the blanket and pillow piles.
I turned around and noticed that Frederick had joined the group and was standing next to Freda in the corner.
He had been whispering something in her ear and she just smiled at him.
"Perhaps, your senses are on edge because this is a new lair?" I heard her suggest.
Guilt racked my body at the concern that passed his face.
"I—I don't know for sure, but it's just a feeling I can't shake," he honestly told his wife.
Gregory noticed my growing guilt and squeezed my hand in moral support.
"Hey, Tony," I called out to my little brother, "Why don't you, Rudolph, and Anna go get ready for dinner? We'll join you guys in the hall later."
Tony looked at me in confusion, but thankfully didn't ask any further questions and hurried up the steps with the rest of the children.
Freda and Frederick waited for the children to leave before turning their attention to me.
"Is everything alright, dear?" Freda asked.
"Well—yes and no…" I trailed off, trying to steel my resolve, "You see…uhm…well—"
"Gregory, what did you do?" Frederick asked, immediately blaming his son for my dilemma.
"Oh, no! No, Gregory didn't do anything," I quickly defended him, he had tensed up at his father's accusation and I was trying to quickly diffuse the situation, "No, you see my parents want to talk to both of you outside about something important."
Freda and Frederick looked at each other in confusion. Trying to understand why my parents couldn't discuss their business inside the castle like they had before.
"Uhm, I know that the current and future clan leaders are always present during meetings," I began, Frederick did not seem pleased that I knew this information, "So, they want Gregory and me there as well…"
"Do you know what this about, dear?" Freda politely asked me.
"I do, but I think my mom wants to discuss it with you guys in person…" I replied, not knowing what to say about the unusual situation.
"Very well, let us depart," Frederick stated while soaring through the air with his wife.
I wanted to suggest they walk so we could arrive at the same time, but they had already left the den.
I turned to Gregory, with distress evident on my face.
He held out his arms in response, silently offering to fly me there.
Steeling my nerves once more, "Just…get it over with," I told him while latching onto his neck.
Gregory nodded before taking off with me, almost immediately catching up to his parents at the front entrance of the castle.
Please let this meeting go well.
The meeting did not go well.
Once we landed in front of the castle's bridge where the semi-truck was at, we had to all but tackle Frederick, so he didn't kill Maney on the spot.
My mom quickly got ahold of the situation and told the vampires everything that had occurred up to that point. She told them about how Maney got to be here, how I stopped him from entering the castle, how he wanted to atone for his past mistakes by helping us, and then she showed how he helped destroy every weapon and blueprint that he had created to hunt vampires.
She also told us the good news, that Rookery was in jail on trespassing and assault charges after Maney called the local authorities to report what happened. Maney mainly did that to help keep the madman off the streets and to stop him from coming after him. But it still added points in his favor.
Also, from the sound of it, they may even commit Rookery since he was spewing threats and curses and talking about taking his revenge on vampires.
This seemed to give everyone a sense of peace when we heard that he might be locked away for good. But it didn't take away the tension in the air.
Freda and Frederick weren't mad at our family since we stopped him from entering their lair without their permission. However, they were not delighted at the prospect of a former hunter staying on the property.
"Rudolph, told me about you," Freda informed Maney with a cold bite to her voice that I have never heard from her before, "You may have tried to stop Rookery from killing our children after you trapped our clan, however, it was you who pointed the damaging light at my son, Gregory."
He did what?!
I looked between Maney and Gregory in absolute shock. The guilt on Maney's face told me it was true. But Gregory didn't seem to have any recollection towards the incident.
"Gregory?" I called out his name in question.
He looked towards me before hesitantly telling the truth, "I—I was preoccupied at that moment with…hunting and I didn't see who burned me with the light."
Hunting?
But I thought—
"I did do that," Maney owned up to his mistake, "And I've regretted it every day since. I—I can't close my eyes without seeing…seeing you on the ground bur-burned like that. And when exhaustion finally does give me a moments rest…your screams from when I burned you scare me awake and give me new nightmares to haunt me."
The sleep deprivation was evident on his face.
You can't fake that kind of trauma.
How did such a man get mixed up with Rookery?
This seemed to be the thought on everybody's mind when I looked around our group.
"Please…I—I am so, so, so sorry," Maney began, slumping to the ground to beg the clan's leaders, "Please, let me make it right—I can't go another day with-with these sins on my back. I need to make it right…"
"Stand up… You may stay and atone for your past mistakes," Gregory told Maney with a stoic expression on his face.
"Gregory!" Both his parents shouted in shock.
"You seem to forget who the current clan leader is!" Frederick growled in anger towards his son.
"And you forget who the one he burned is," Gregory shot back, "If I can forgive him and give him a second chance, then so can the rest of the clan."
"Oh, oh thank you so much!" Maney cried out with happiness, standing up to shake Gregory's hand, "You don't know how much this me—"
Gregory wrenched his hand out of Maney's grip before wrapping it around his throat.
"Just remember these words, mortal," Gregory snarled out, "If you so much as think of betraying my family or hurting my new friends, I will rip your eyes from your skull and shove them down your throat so you can watch my fangs tear you apart from your stomach to your sternum! Do I make myself clear?!"
He was hissing the last part of his wrath as Maney dangled in the air, trying to answer the raging vampire.
"P-perf-ectly," Maney managed to gasp.
"Good," Gregory growled, dropping the man to the ground.
My parents and I stared in shock at the display of aggression. Frederick seemed proud by his son's actions while Freda shook her head mumbling.
"I told you not to let him see that side of your meetings," Freda grumbled towards her husband.
"He has to learn some time," Frederick shot back.
"Can you teach me that too?" I finally asked breaking the silence.
"LUCY!" My parents cried out, not wanting me to learn that kind of aggressive behavior.
"What?" I shot back, "That would make those boring business meetings go by so much faster!"
"Oh, for heaven's—Maney are you okay?" My mom asked, helping the man to his feet.
"Y-yeah," he wheezed, rubbing his sore throat, "I, I deserved that to be honest."
Couldn't argue with that logic.
"Right, well, I have to go finish getting ready for the day and get dinner quickly prepared," my mom began telling everyone.
"Need any help?" I asked her since I was already ready for the day.
"Oh, that would be wonderful, could you get the oven pre-heated and put the meatloaf in?" She asked, pleased by my offer of assistance, "It's already prepared individually in the muffin tin in the fridge, so it only needs to bake for about 20-30 minutes. Also, if you could start heating the potatoes that I peeled and grab the peas—yes, the peas, it's only fair since we ate your brother's least favorite vegetable yesterday—anyway if you could pull those out of the freezer and start boiling the water, that would just be perfect!"
I nodded my head in acknowledgement and made a mental note of everything that needed to be done.
"Yeah, I can do that," I told my mom who gratefully thanked me before turning to Frederick.
"Is he allowed inside to eat dinner?" She asked him while nodding her head towards Maney.
"…Yes, I suppose that will be alright, but I want him out of the castle afterwards," he reluctantly agreed.
"That's no problem," my dad chimed in, "We'll give him the keys to our camper to stay in while he's here."
"Oh, that's alright," Maney began, "I can just sleep in the sem—"
"Maney, we need you fully rested and on top of your game if you are going to be helping us," my dad cut him off, placing a hand on his shoulder, "The camper has a nice comfy bed in there and air-conditioning. It's a nice temporary place for you to stay until we build you some kind of workshop with an apartment on top that you can live in."
"Really? Are you sure it's alright?" He asked, still in shock of how nice my parents are being.
"Maney, it's more for our peace of mind than us being nice to you," I honestly replied, "You know that saying 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'?"
He seemed to deflate a bit from my honesty, but I didn't see the point in lying to him on where he stood with us at the moment.
"Lucy…" my dad said in a disapproving tone.
"What?" I shot back, already knowing that I was right in my assessment.
"Anyway, let's get you some food and then a nice shower before you go to sleep," my dad told Maney while leading him away.
"I believe it best that I call a clan meeting in the dining hall before you do that," Frederick said halting the pair from walking away, "Get him this 'shower' first and I'll send Gregory to come retrieve you both once I have the clan calmed down."
My dad nodded in understanding before we all made our way to the castle.
I was in the kitchen, following my mother's instructions, when I heard Frederick break the news to the clan in the dining hall.
Their outraged cries and curses echoed off the walls as Frederick and Freda tried to calm the masses.
This was going to be an interesting night indeed.
The dining hall was silent as everyone ate their meal.
It was a completely changed atmosphere from the previous night.
Tony and Rudolph glared at Maney the entire night. I overheard one of them snicker about letting their vampire cow drop a 'pie' on him again. Freda hushed the two boys and silenced anymore talk of their prank.
Anna was silent the entire evening. I couldn't gauge her reaction to tell where she stood on the matter.
Frederick had his hands full with silencing hissing clan members or quieting the angry murmurs from arising in the room.
Gregory made me switch seats with him so that I was sitting in between him and his father. For some reason, he refused to leave me alone with the former hunter.
Mom and dad looked at Maney with sympathy in their eyes, but I could see the distrust was still there.
The road ahead of Emmanuel Hirsch was going to be a long one. I hope he doesn't give up and succeeds in becoming part of the family.
It's so much easier to have friends rather than enemies.
However, something needed to be done about this unbearable silence.
"Maney," I addressed, receiving a glare from Gregory, "Do you think it would be possible to customize your semi-truck so that it could carry about 100 coffins?"
Maney paused his eating, pondering the question, "Hmmm… 100 coffins…I think that I could create a collapsible, multi-hammock system to meet the requirements…Yeah if I use rope instead of wood, I could easily transport 100 coffins in my semi-truck."
"Good," I replied, "Do you think you could put an air-conditioning unit in the cargo area of your truck as well?"
"Already has one, why?" He asked.
I ignored his question before carrying on, "If I provide the materials, how fast do you think you can set up this customization."
"Well, if I'm able to get started on it right away," Maney began, calculating the time in his head, "I could have it done by tomorrow night."
"Perfect," I replied, "Mother?"
"I'm already on it," my mom reassured me, "Maney what supplies will you need?"
While those two talked about ordering the necessary equipment, Frederick tapped me on my shoulder.
"May I inquire what that was about?" He asked, amusement clearly on his face.
"Oh, of course," I said, revealing my plan to the table, "Mom and dad got your old catacombs cleared out by offering a donation to the 'earthquake' relief fund. The historical society was grateful to us for helping preserve their history after the catacombs collapsed when the 'earthquake' hit."
It wasn't hard to bribe a seismologist to say that a small earthquake had caused the collapse of the catacombs and falsify evidence of the claim.
"So, with the catacombs cleared out, we can take a small group of clans' members to go collect your things and your coffins from the crypts," I further explained, "I know your group is only about 60 large, but I figured we can use the extra space to acquire a few more coffins just in case. The only problem with my idea is finding a way to fit everything in the truck in such a short amount of time without earning any unwanted attention from the outside world. Not to mention being able to transport the members safely from one destination to the next in case the sun comes up before we get back. This is where Maney comes in with building a custom-made semi-truck for our end goal."
"Guys, seriously, get on her good side before she takes over the world," Tony chimed in after I was done explaining my master plan.
I stuck my tongue out at my little brother, before finishing the last of my peas. Finally, I can enjoy the rest of my meal. Bringing my glass of milk to my mouth, I took a long gulp to finish getting the nasty taste out.
"What? How did you eat that so fast?" Tony asked looking at the spot where my peas used to be.
"Because I am a big girl and know how to eat my vegetables without making such a fuss," I teased him.
He mocked what I just said before crossing his eyes and making a ridiculous face at me. I nearly spat my milk out while laughing at him.
Such a dork.
"Tony, quit worrying about your sister's plate and finish eating," dad reprimanded my little brother.
Tony grumbled a 'fine' before going back to his meal.
At least some things never changed, I thought to myself as I felt the quiet of the room weigh heavily on my shoulders.
I just hope that, given time, we'd eventually be able to openly laugh and get along like the night before.
All I could do for now was…hope.
I had been searching all over the castle but couldn't find him anywhere.
Where was he hiding?
Tony, Rudolph, and Anna were outside playing with and feeding the flying cow, but Gregory was nowhere in sight.
I was starting to get nervous when I saw a lone silhouette on the castle's roof.
Don't tell me…
"Hey Rudolph," I called out to the young boy who was watching Tony pretend he was a matador and the cow was the bull while Anna cheered from the sidelines, "Is that your brother on the roof?"
"Yes, it is Miss Lulu," Rudolph informed me with a grin.
"Why is he on the roof?" I asked with agitation seeping into my voice.
Why the roof? Couldn't you be somewhere on the ground where I can check to see if you're okay?
"Probably, sulking," Rudolph replied nonchalantly.
"Why is he sulking?" I asked, not understanding the sudden mood swing.
"I'm not sure, he usually sits on the roof when he gets in a fight with our father," Rudolph divulged, "Did you want me to take you up there?"
"Could you ask him to come down here?" I inquired, hoping to talk to him on solid ground.
"Have you met Gregory?" Rudolph sarcastically replied.
"Right, right…just…fine—just don't drop me!" I demanded while holding out my hand as I've seen Tony do before.
"Wonderful!" Rudolph exclaimed, "Here we go!"
I had to cover my mouth to stop my screaming as he rocketed into the sky.
I never realized how gently Gregory flew with me before until I was clinging to his little brother as we soared through the night sky at breakneck speeds.
Oh, God—never again will I fly with Rudolph!
I soon felt something solid beneath my feet and cracked open my eyes to see we landed on the top of the slanted part of the roof and had a stone wall behind me. My body immediately slid down and I straddled the top of the roof with my legs and held myself in place with my hands. I further rested my back against the wall for more support. Once I had a good balance I looked up to talk to Gregory, but he was nowhere in sight.
"Rudolph, where's Gregory?" I asked the small vampire who was floating nearby.
"Oh, he's on the other side of the castle, further up," Rudolph explained pointing behind me in a diagonal direction.
I didn't dare look up in case I suddenly lost my balance.
"Then why didn't you set me up there?" I asked him.
"Because he might've flown away if he saw me coming up to him," Rudolph quickly answered, "I'll go tell him you're down here."
With that last comment he sped off towards his brother's direction.
"Wait! Why couldn't you have just gotten him for me while I was on the ground then?!" I shouted in anger at the vampiric teenager.
Oh, that is it—I am so chewing him out once I get down from here.
…If I get down from here, that is…
"Lucy?!" I heard Gregory exclaim in shock at the sight of me on the roof.
"Oh, thank God, Gregory," I sighed in relief as I looked up at the only vampire with permission to take me flying ever again.
"What are you doing up here?" He asked me while perfectly perching himself in front of me and putting his hands on my shoulders to keep me balanced.
"I was worried about you and asked your brother for help," I informed him, putting hands on his knees instead.
I trust him more than this shabby roof.
"However, I think that I was tricked, and Rudolph left me up here as a joke," I informed him, repressed anger in my voice as I thought of ways to get revenge.
"Yeah…that sounds like something he'd do…" Gregory trailed off before looking back at me, "To be honest, I didn't believe him when he said that he got you up here."
"Well…I was worried about you," I honestly replied, "You were so quiet after you left the dinner table and I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"You do realize that the main reason why I came up to the roof in the first place was to be alone, right?" Gregory asked me in a teasing voice.
"Well, you should have thought of that before you officially made me your friend," I informed him, "I've been told that I'm quiet possessive and overbearing before, you know. One person said that I was like a dog with the last bone on the entire planet."
"Hmm…that does sound pretty serious," he joked, "Maybe I should cut my losses and make a run for it while you're stuck on this roof."
"NO!" I screamed, while grasping his arms in fear that he would actually leave me to rot up here.
My balance swayed with my sudden movement and I almost tumbled off the side. Gregory immediately halted my descent before lifting me up in his arms. He settled his back to the wall and placed me between his legs before wrapping his arms around me.
"Hey! Don't do that, do you want to fall?" Gregory admonished me while pulling my body to lean into him.
"Well, don't joke about leaving me up here then!" I shrieked back, still trying to quiet my pounding heart.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry—hush—it's okay," he soothed me while stroking my head until I finally relaxed into him, "You're right that was a bad joke. I'm sorry."
"Damn straight, you're sorry," I told him, "Just because you're a sadist—"
He snickered at that comment, "I know, I'm sorry, Lucy. Forgive me?"
"…Only if you tell me what had you so upset," I bribed him.
Gregory let out a sigh before saying, "If I tell you, then you promise to forgive me?"
I nodded my head eagerly.
"Alright, I'm mad at myself," he informed me.
I patiently waited for him to go on.
When he didn't make another statement, I turned my head towards him and said, "You do realize that I'm going to need more information than that in order for me to forgive you."
"Come on…can't you just—"
"No."
"Fine…I'm mad because my dad was able to sense that something was wrong after being here for two days, while I couldn't even sense that it was you trying to wake me up," Gregory finally blurted out, "I mean…what would have happened had I hurt you or done something… even worst? I would never have forgiven myself as a friend, and I wouldn't be able to look my clan in the eyes to declare that I was their future leader. What kind of leader would hurt one of their own?"
"Gregory…I told you that was a normal reaction," I began, halting his next insulting words about himself, "You're father has been around much longer than you and probably made mistakes in the beginning when he was first starting out as the clan's leader. Not to mention you are still trying to get used to four new members of your clan; mortal members may I remind you. Your father has never had to experience that when he was a future clan leader. And who's to say that your dad didn't sense my parents leaving the castle rather than Maney entering the grounds? He even said he couldn't pinpoint his feeling of uneasiness, remember? Also, it was you who noticed me missing the first time when I originally got up. It wasn't your father or any other clan member, it was you, remember? You are being way too hard on yourself."
I slightly turned the top half of my body to give his arm a gentle squeeze. It was the best kind of hug that I could give him at the moment.
"And just like you told me earlier," I began reminding him, pulling slightly back to look into his eyes, "You are my only true friend that I've had in a long time, and I will not allow my friend to talk about themselves in such a deprecating manner. Do I make myself clear?"
A small smile twitched on his lips before he pulled me forward in a strong hug.
"Perfectly clear," he responded into my ear.
"Good," I finally told him, "Now, I have my iPod and headphones in my back pocket. How about you and I listen to some music to see what genre you like?"
"Sounds good to me."
That's where we stayed for the remainder of the evening; listening to multiple songs, talking about which ones he liked and disliked, or him requesting to listen to some of them on repeat. His company became so comforting that I completely forgot about being on top of the castle's rooftop.
I could get used to this…