Disclaimer: I do not own or make any inference that I own Being Human UK or any of its characters.
"Come on guys, Annie yelled in the direction of the fast approaching foot-steps, I can't pull him off!"
Tom running at full speed was the first to turn down the road, closely followed by Michael and with George two blocks behind them pulling up the rear, "She's this way, Tom called out, not too much further."
"George, you're younger than me, Michael yelled, hurry up!"
George didn't say anything in response, mostly due to not being able to catch his breath, but also due to Annie screaming out again. He thought to himself, that when they returned to the B&B, he'd let Michael, Tom and Annie have a piece of his mind.
Annie was trying desperately to pull a large vampire off an older man. She had already raised her arms, picked them up and dropped them back down, thinking that the vampire would let the intended victim go, but vampy held on and both of them hit the ground together. If the vampire didn't kill him, she thought to herself then surely she would if she continued trying to separate them by bouncing them on the concrete. There were two other vampires waiting for their friend to make the kill but Annie was holding them at bay with some kind of force-field, it was strange but when she focused and concentrated on her stated goals, her powers seemed to work in all these glorious ways.
"Help me." The old man croaked out in a strangled voice.
Annie was finally able to throw a force-field around the vampire and the old man, as they were at a stand-still and no longer running.
"Let him go…" Annie yelled once again to the vamp.
"Get out of here ghost, he responded derisively, go bother someone else!"
"Alright Annie…?" Tom said as he and Michael came up behind the first two vamps.
Annie had been waiting until Tom and Michael were as close as possible to the two vampires before she dropped the force-field so that they could stake them. Tom promptly staked one as Michael staked the other.
"Yeah, thanks guys"
"Not a problem…" Michael responded.
"Unfortunately, this one's proving too stubborn, he won't let go."
Tom could see that the old man was terrified…
"Were-wolves…" the vampire said with the same amount of disgust as he wrinkled his nose after he'd sniffed the air.
George was just catching up with the group as Annie dropped the force-field allowing Michael to stake the vamp in his leg. The immediate pain surprised him enough that Tom was able to quickly ram the stake in his back and through his heart. It all happened too quickly for George to finally get his first kill.
The old man found himself covered with dust, but he was happy to be alive, or so he thought, unfortunately for him, Tom noticed the blood running from the wound on his neck and after a nod to Michael, the last thing the poor old man saw was a wooden stake protruding from his own chest.
"What are you doing?" George screamed as the old man looked at him confused as he began disintegrating into ash as well.
Admonishing George, Annie said, "So you finally joined us, took the scenic route did you?"
George kept his eyes focused on Michael and Tom, "I thought we agreed that unless the vampires are being menacing or hurting someone then we would leave them be…"
"George, that old man was bitten; we'd only be chasing him down in a few weeks time."
"But by then, he'd have super strength, super speed, and God knows how many kills…" interrupted Michael.
"Better for us to get the job done now, Tom finished, before he could recruit or begin killing people and all…"
George wasn't happy about this situation as this wasn't the first staking Tom and Michael had done of a supposed victim. Maybe he'd been chasing too many chickens in circles, but he didn't like the fact that he was always arriving just as all the staking was over and done.
"We've been hunting for three weeks now, and you both have made all the kills. Annie calls us from one direction and you two take off in another, how is it that you always arrive before me?"
"George, I didn't want to mention it but maybe you should begin working out." Michael said.
"Yeah, go swimming; get your stamina up or something…" Tom said with a wink back to Michael.
George looked over to Annie who had to hide her own smile.
"Oh, is this what we're doing now, all three of you ganging up on George… I'll have you all know that I'm in excellent shape, George patted his stomach. You two are deliberately telling me to run one way as you take off running in the correct direction…"
"Tsk…Tsk…Tsk, Annie said to Tom and Michael, that's not nice."
"No, it's not nice. One would think you didn't want me around."
Annie could tell that George was sincerely upset by the boy's antics. Michael was only a few years older than George, but once he and Tom were sort of given their freedom to rid the world of vampires, well Barry Island so far, they became the closest of friends. Hettie began calling them, "The Boys," and Annie, George and Nina all followed suit. In all their years of living, neither one had previously been able to get close to people outside their families. Now, they worked out together, sharpened their stakes together, egged each other on when it came to how many kills the one had over the other, on and on. They finally found genuine friendship and while George had Nina and Annie, it made him miss the time he had with Mitchell. Even-though he never ran through the woods ambushing a vampire gathering with Mitchell, like Tom and Michael had, he'd never really thought about how his and Mitchell's bond might have made Annie or Nina feel left out, and when he was particularly jealous or tired from running, he didn't often think about how he sounded when he complained about Tom and Michael being as close as they were now.
"Why don't we make our way back home?" Annie asked as she looped her arm through George's arm and steered him back towards the B&B.
Just as she expected Tom and Michael were two blocks ahead of them before she could bat an eye. She decided this was the perfect time to have a one on one conversation with her friend.
"You know it's a good thing they've found one another…"
"Annie, I'm not jealous," George said dejectedly.
"Who says you're jealous?
"You should, George conceded, I am a bit."
"I know, Annie nudged him in the ribs, but just think about how in shape you really will be when baby Mitchell needs running around your farm as he gets older."
George smiled then and Annie could feel the tension leaving his body, "Yeah, I guess there is that."
"George, as we've still not heard from Wyndham, and you and Tom are getting better at smelling vampires, I'm going to take a trip."
George stopped walking, "Oh, I don't know Annie; I think it's important that we all stay close together at this time."
"George, I'm not really asking, Annie said firmly. The house is so full, ever since Hettie came, we've been out chasing vampires, while still worrying and wondering when Wyndham was going to make a move. It takes so much energy to read auras and create force-fields; I really need some time to myself."
"Where will you go?"
"I'm going to see how far I can rent-a-ghost away, and then from there I'll get on a train and see how much further I can go that way as well. I'd like to peek in on my family, see how they are all doing, maybe go to London, just, you know, get away from all this intensity."
"Hang on, exactly how long are you planning on being away?" George asked with fear creeping back into his voice.
"I don't know, a week maybe two…"
George sighed as they reached the outside of the B&B, "Actually Annie, if anyone deserves a break from all this, it's you. When are you leaving?"
"Well, as I don't need to pack any bags or need any money, I'm going to leave as soon as you walk into the house."
George gave Annie a very tight squeeze, for luck or comfort he couldn't tell, but as he released her, he smiled as a few tears slowly fell, and said, "I'm going to miss you, my little curly top."
"I'll miss you as well, you know that, and Nina, the baby and the boys…tell them I'll bring back souvenirs, yeah?"
Before George could say another word, Annie kissed him on the cheek and popped away to begin her adventure…George thought to himself, how remarkable it was that Annie had enough confidence to leave them and go off on her own. Those types of thoughts made George especially sad as one day, maybe sooner than later, they would all be off in separate directions living their own lives.
"Where's Annie?" Nina asked as she met George at the front door.
"On an adventure, apparently even ghosts need holidays."
Nina, didn't respond, as she would miss Annie, but she couldn't deny that she wasn't happy to have George all to herself.
"Ahhh, so, you did hear me…" said the male voice to Annie's back.
Annie couldn't believe how far away from the B&B she was, she had jumped all the way back to Bristol. She hadn't registered the voice that was speaking to her as she marveled at being back in front of her house, the little pink house on the corner. Her legs were a bit wobbly, but she couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud and spinning around, impressed with her success. She had thought of her house and now, here she was…
"Woah, you want to be careful you don't wake up the neighbors."
Annie stopped turning around and followed the sound of a voice from her past. Before her friend could remove his hat and stand at attention, Annie had raced into his arms and promptly began crying.
"Sykes, it was you, you called me here."
"Hey, steady on, Sykes said, patting Annie lightly on her back as he gently tried to loosen Annie's grip, I missed you as well."
Annie couldn't have cried more unless it were Gilbert in front of her. Sykes gave up trying to release himself so that he could see her face, and simply let her have a very proper cry.
"I didn't mean to make you cry…" he whispered softly in her hair.
This was the first time Annie could cry for herself, for Mitchell, and for George without feeling as if she needed to be strong. She never would have taken such liberties with Sykes in their first meeting, but she had missed him over the years and deep down she knew he was here to let her do just as she was doing now. She didn't need rest, but sometimes, it seemed as if her soul grew just a bit tired of always being happy for the sake of others.
"No, no, I'm so sorry, I haven't cried like that in months."
"It's alright, Sykes said, as he produced his handkerchief for Annie to use, better you get it all out, seems as if you've been needing that cry for a while now. I was truly sorry to hear that you had suffered a loss. Mitchell was a pretty well-known and respected vampire around these parts."
Annie only partially released him from the death grip she normally only reserves for George, as she and Sykes sat down on the front stoop. She appreciated the sincerity in his words and told him that she'd missed him very much. Sykes let her know that he'd been trying to contact her for months through telepathy, but because of all the turmoil she'd been going through, the messages weren't able to get through to her.
"So, that was you putting thoughts into my head?"
Sykes smiled at Annie "Yes."
"How did you do that?"
"Oh, that's something very easy that we can do, only have to put our thoughts on repeat and send them out on a low frequency and they will find the intended target."
"I began having thoughts of this house, but with all the drama that's been going on, I only thought it was because I secretly wanted to run away and hide a few times. Every now and again, I would say to myself that I really wished I could see the Pink house again, and that I wanted to return to Bristol. After these last few weeks, the feeling got stronger, and when I popped away, I began seeing the house and this street, and then next thing I knew, I was here."
"Have you been able to do anything else?" Sykes asked innocently.
"Oh, Sykes, you would be so proud of me. I've gotten excellent at reading auras and amazingly, I can put up force-fields."
"You don't say…"
Annie looked at Sykes and put two and two together, "You've been helping me from a far with that as well, hmmm…"
"I thought you could use the extra help as I'd been told you needed guidance but that was all yours, I only sent the mental key to help unlock the powers I thought you'd need."
"Well, it's really come in handy; I only have to think about keeping vampires back or restrained and up comes this invisible barrier that won't allow them to pass. It's been very effective actually."
Sykes cocked his head toward the door and said, "The family's all asleep in there, if we're quiet think we could make ourselves a spot of tea?"
No response was needed as they both popped in from the outside and began moving around Annie's former kitchen.
"I loved this house so much." Annie mused quietly as she and Sykes filled up the kettle and set out their two cups for tea that neither would drink.
"I always tried to keep a sense of you while I was traveling. It's something I do with the few ghosts I've befriended, Sykes said as Annie smiled over to him, and yes, you were my first."
"Awww…"
Sykes allowed himself another small smile before he began telling Annie exactly why he sent out messages trying to contact her.
"Well, I'd been minding my own business as usual, trekking around some of the Fjords in Norway when I'd begun getting messages from our friends on the other side."
"Agents…?" Annie asked.
"No, that's what I thought at first, but then this one guy Gilbert, said they needed help for Annie. I was able to disappear from him for a few days but then he'd pop up again and bring along some pals…"
"Gilbert and pals…?" Annie asked skeptically.
"Well, there was a Sasha, really sweet girl, totally adores you, and then there was Saul, still carrying around guilt from attempting to pull you through his door, and this guy Hennessey, who said he was a psychic who tried to help you pass over, they were all worried for you, Mitchell appealed to them to help you move on from your grieving so that you could stop some Wyndham chap from recruiting his kin and going on a massive killing spree."
"Gilbert and Mitchell have been very busy haven't they…?"
"Aye, they have…"
"I think though, you might be too late…"
Sykes looked confused….
"Well, Hettie, this really old vampire, was sent to us as well, but she doesn't want Edgar Wyndham to be killed. If he isn't staked then she will protect Mitchell's family and me. I'm to somehow convince Edgar all by myself, to give up his evil plans and then send him back home. I don't suppose Gilbert, Sasha or Mitchell have any ideas on how I'm supposed to do that now do they?"
"Hmmm, did Mitchell know Hettie was going to offer you this compromise?"
"I don't think so, it's a crap compromise." Annie replied.
"What...Why?"
"Well, every day since she arrived, we've been out day and night staking newly recruited vampires. I don't know which is worse; humans being killed by the vampires or newly recruited vampires killed by us, either way, there's a lot of death. Michael and Tom love it, George and Nina are getting more and more discouraged, and no matter what, I have to continue smiling before anyone thinks I'm the least bit upset."
"You're allowed to be upset Annie."
"Oh, am I? If I'm upset Mitchell can feel it all the way to purgatory. If I'm upset Gilbert contacts every ghost I've ever met and they bombard super-naturals on the outside with messages that I need help, including Hettie, angelic looking 14 year old, but who's turned out to be an even scarier vampire than Edgar. If I'm upset, then George gets upset and then Nina gets upset and I think even baby Mitchell cries an extra hour just to feel included. Sykes, I can't ever be upset."
"Now, I'm actually glad they all convinced me to contact you. You do need a vacation."
"You didn't bring me here for a vacation…" Annie said.
"No, I didn't but plans change, plans should always change when what you're faced with is misery. Let's get out of this old house and do some fun things you've always wanted. I assume that's the reason you came since you didn't exactly know it was me calling you."
Sykes took hold of Annie's hand and poof, they were gone.
"So, have you heard from Annie?" Michael asked as George was standing in front of Mitchell and Annie's headstones.
"No, she said she'd be home in a week or so…"
"It's been two weeks already." Michael replied.
George hadn't been to visit the graves in months now, but not having Annie home to speak with was making him anxious and not knowing where exactly she was or what she was doing wasn't helping matters either. Annie actually sent a few post-cards, she'd been to visit her parents and then her sisters and her nieces and nephews, she hadn't made herself visible to them as she didn't want to distress and upset them, but she did hold her baby nephew for nearly an hour before he began crying for a nappy change. Sykes had taken her on the London Eye, and he had to drag her away after her twentieth ride, they'd each sat on a wing of the Angel of the North, and last correspondence had them traveling on up to the Shetland Islands; she wanted to meet the head Were-wolf in charge so that when George and Nina showed up they would be welcomed.
"I know…umm Michael you wouldn't mind giving me a bit more privacy would you? I have only a few more words I'd like to say to Annie…"
"Oh No, not at all, sorry about interrupting, I thought you were ready to leave." Michael backed down one level below but he could hear George clearly.
At the top of George's lungs, he screamed, "Annie…Come Home!"
Michael guessed everyone inside and out of the cemetery could hear George…
"So, Missy, where would you like to go next?"
"I think Sykes, Annie said and she made her last twirl on the ice, I'm ready to go home."
"What, not impressed with Rockefeller center, we can go on up to Quebec and they have some amazing skating on the rivière l'Assomption it's 9 kilometers long…"
"That sounds like so much fun, Annie said with some excitement, but I think it's really time that I got back to the Honolulu Heights B&B, and my gang."
"Oh…"
"You can come with me…"
"No, it's best if I keep on moving."
"Well, come as far as Ireland with me ok? I'd like to see something and I'd prefer to have a friend along."
"Ireland…?" Sykes asked even though he knew what that meant.
"Midleton County Cork, Ireland to be exact."
"Annie, Sykes yelled out, she's over here…"
Annie popped over to the other side of the cemetery, the older side, to a very important grave. She placed the beautiful bouquet of flowers on the ground and read the headstone "In memory to their ever dear and affectionate Gloris Mitchell. May her soul rest in peace"
Annie next placed 2 smooth stones she'd swiped from her and Mitchell's graves back in Wales and placed them next to one another, "this token is from George, Annie said, in honor of your son John."
"Now, she continued as she turned to Sykes, I'm ready to go home."
Sykes allowed himself to be gathered in a very strong hug, after being with Annie these two weeks, he'd gotten very used to the strength she had even-though she was such a slight ghost.
"If you ever need me, just think about me, repeat my name and I'll come as quick as I can…"
"Thank you so much Sykes." Annie said with a watery smile.
"Cheerio lamb…" Sykes was able to say just before Annie disappeared in a blink.
Standing outside the B&B, Annie could hear baby Mitchell laughing, she could imagine Tom making faces at him, he always giggled and laughed so much when Tom or Michael did that, when she closed her eyes, she could see George sitting at the kitchen table with Nina, sharing a cup of tea but with a far off look to his face, she knew he had missed her as much as she'd missed him.
"Well, finally home are we dearie?"
Annie would know that sweet teenage voice anywhere. Turning she wasn't surprised at all to see Hettie standing behind her.
"How long have you been there?"
"Being an old one, I could feel the ripples you were creating in the air the closer you got to the house."
"Well, I guess Edgar knows I'm home as well then…"
"Yes, he does…"
"Hettie, before I go in, I want you to know I've come to some decisions, one of which is that I don't want to wait anymore, as soon as possible, I'd like to meet with Edgar."
"I'll make it happen pet... You should go on inside and make the others happy first." Hettie motioned with her head as Annie walked through the door and into the house.
It's a good thing Annie didn't need to breathe anymore because she was drowned in hugs and couldn't come up for air even if she had wanted too. She spent hours telling the others about meeting up with Sykes and her travels. She was bubbling over with happiness and joy and so were they as she was finally home safe and sound. Annie saved a few special stories for George after Tom and Michael left for their night of vampire hunting and Nina took the baby to bed.
"I'm surprised you left Mitchell for that long." George said pretending to mope.
"He was with me George. I took a small bit of his ashes just to go on the journey, and when I mentioned this to Sykes, he took me to the Lama Temple in China, it's called the Palace of Peace and Harmony as well, we lit some incense and I cried, said a prayer for Mitchell and for us, and I left his ashes there. I felt so renewed George. I haven't cried since. I've finally seen so many beautiful places I've only dreamed about."
"I would have liked to go there." George spoke normally now.
"You will George, well, I mean, you can, whenever you'd like."
"I'm just amazed and so happy for you Annie. Never would I have thought that scared girl who was too afraid to leave her house, would be ice fishing in Russia one day and walking through a Bamboo forest in Korea the next. It's extraordinary."
"George, I told Hettie that I'm ready to meet Wyndham, no more delaying."
"When, George asked concerned, tonight?"
"More likely tomorrow, but I wanted to prepare you. You may not be happy with what I'm going to say, but now, I know it's the right thing."
"What are you going to say…?" George asked his voice full of trepidation.
"I think it's best if you all hear it together and at the same time. Now, you'd better get on up to bed before Nina comes down to drag you away."
"Annie, don't feel you have to sacrifice yourself or anything, we'll fight as long as it takes, ok?"
"Good Night George."
"Annie…" George said with a small whine.
Annie squeezed his hand and smiled at him as he reluctantly turned away and went up the stairs to his family.
The next morning George and everyone woke up to heavenly smells wafting upstairs from the kitchen. Annie was happily cooking a delicious breakfast fry-up.
The morning passed in a blur and evening was just setting in when Hettie entered the house.
"Hello my lovelies, Edgar is on his way."
"Well, he can't come in here…" George screeched.
"No, he won't. He and Annie are going to do it High Noon style, or some such nonsense." Hettie said.
"What?" Nina asked genuinely confused.
"We're going to meet outside. I asked Hettie if she could arrange with Edgar to come and let's get this fight under way."
"That's real street Annie…" Tom called out from his perch at the bar.
"Street, huffed George, what do you know about the street? You were raised in the woods in a camper van!"
Michael couldn't help but laugh and it was so infectious that Annie and Tom began laughing as well. George couldn't contain a smile of his own.
"Annie, what is this about the street?" Nina asked seriously as she stopped everyone's laughter.
"We're literally going to meet in the street because I didn't want to lift the nursery rhyme from the house. Everyone is welcome to come, what I have to say will involve all of you."
"He's here…" Hettie interrupted.
"Annie, are you sure about this? George asked as she was just about to walk outside.
"Yes. Don't worry George; soon it will all be over."
"Well, it's been awhile Annie. Looking her up and down, from head to toe, Edgar said, you're looking the same…"
Wyndham allowed a tight smile across his lips as his lackeys all laughed.
"I feel the same Edgar, but as usual, you're over-dressed…"
"Annie, I'm a very busy man. We could stand out here all night insulting one another, but I assume you want to tell me something important after asking Hettie to get me out here."
"How do you know that she didn't call you over to die?" Tom uncharacteristically called out.
"I didn't, Annie spoke up before anyone else could speak, I'm not going to kill anyone."
"I'll be the judge of that…" Wyndham said with a smirk.
"I figured out what it is you've been doing. All this time, making us wait for some big apocalyptic showdown, all the while your newly recruited have been killing and adding to your numbers. You've been on this small island for two months now, the population must be 3 to 1 vampires by now…"
"What can I say; recruitment is at an all time high at the moment."
"You are so pathetic. 700 years old, and you're still trying to make a name for yourself. You, and Herrick older but nothing compared to Mitchell."
"Mitchell, please, Edgar spat out the name with unconcealed venom. Mitchell was the nothing, he had power, and he threw it all away."
"On my travels, I stopped off in Bolivia, and I was allowed to sit down with some real old ones. Mitchell was 117 years old and he knew more, did more, killed more, and stopped hungering for the blood longer than any vampire ever. He wasn't only respected because he was a killer, he was respected because he could stop killing and accept the visions of his victims crying out to him in his dreams."
"You are surprising me Annie…" said Hettie.
"And, you surprised me as well Hettie. I think it's your physical youthful appearance that sucks everyone into believing the words that you say. I know now that's what fooled me. You came here for revenge."
"What do you mean Annie?" George asked.
"Hettie loves killing, and Hettie loved Herrick and Mitchell. She never understood Mitchell, but she liked his results. Mitchell reached out to her because he was afraid for us, you and me George, he knew Tom and Michael had the potential to love fighting and killing, but he didn't know if we'd survive. If Nina, the baby or even me were taken, he knew you would give your life to have us back and then Edgar would have what he wanted, us doing his bidding since he lost Mitchell, and the same goes for me, if you all were taken and/or being tortured, I'd gladly give myself over to make it stop. Hettie knew this and she came here and fed on our fears for one another more."
Nina looked over to Hettie and was stunned to see her staring directly at her.
"There's only one person I care about in this house, Hettie said, Mitchell told me about you and George, and all I heard was weakness. Mitchell told me about Nina, and I couldn't wait to get here. He said she was filled with hate and not only for him."
"What are you talking about? That's not true!" Nina stated in a temper.
"When I came in and heard the wolf in Nina, I knew it was most certainly true. I pushed her with my words when I first arrived; I wasn't at all surprised at how hard she pushed back. The wolf wants to be released. He wants to follow me because I'm the only one who will allow him to untie the chicken and murder an entire town…or two."
George, Michael and Tom all immediately went to stand between Hettie and Nina.
"That's right, you came for Nina, not for me and Michael, you could care less about us or Mitchell's pleas. You allowed Edgar to kill and recruit and kept the rest of us busy by running around staking his never ending recruits."
"The wolf is growing weary of all these games." Hettie said.
"Yes, but the Human is stronger and you'll never get Nina because the wolf can't make her give in. George, you, Nina and the baby have to get to the security of the pack. There's no more delaying, surrounded by the pack, Hettie doesn't stand a chance to take over Nina."
"What makes you think I will let them go? Hettie said.
"You can't take the wolf, no matter how hard you try, he has to be willing to come to you, Nina, Annie said with emphasis, has to be willing to come to you. The fact that you haven't taken her already proves that the human is still stronger and there's nothing you can do to make her give in..."
"So, well even if Hettie can't have Nina that still doesn't stop me from getting Mitchell's kin. I suppose, as disgusting as it will be, Hettie and I will have to drain all the wolves of all their blood and take Michael for ourselves. As you've mentioned Annie, you'll acquiesce as soon as Michael begins to scream out in pain."
"You're so old and scary; you had to follow a ghost around to even know that Michael existed. You won't be taking him, because he's not Mitchell. Mitchell wanted to go with Herrick. Mitchell loved being a vampire until he didn't. Michael isn't anywhere near as strong as Mitchell, if you make him a vampire, within a few years he'll be staking himself over the guilt."
"Annie…" Michael said admonishingly.
"I'm sorry, Michael, but it's true."
"That still doesn't stop us from taking you. Hettie and I both love blood and we both love killing, how long will you be able to stand all these humans getting killed before you're playing tricks for us yourself?"
"I can't save the world; honestly I can't even save the people of Barry Island. I can't defeat you. I won't defeat you… I won't even try. No matter what my powers are or what they will be I am not going to spend the rest of eternity chasing down and hunting crazy egomaniacal vampires who want to take over the world. Newsflash, you already have taken over the world, you can kill at will, recruit when it suits you, you can love, and travel, and get married and adopt children, you can do all these things that I can't, and yet it's still not enough for you."
"Annie what are you talking about, are you going to simply give up?" George asked astonished.
"No, I'm only facing reality, and it's time you did as well. Tom and Michael will become leaders of recruits of their own; they are already on their way, humans and were-wolves who would like to be proactive in hunting and destroying vampires. You, Nina and the baby are going to meet up with the pack in the Shetland Islands and I am finally going to live my life."
"It's a no win situation for you all George, Hettie said, Annie's finally facing the truth."
"We've won George, face it…" said Wyndham.
"No, you haven't won, Michael interrupted, we may not be able to dust Hettie, but we'll hunt you down and stake you. What Annie is saying is that even-though you may be gone, we need to be ready for when the next nutter steps up to take yours and Herrick's place."
"One day a door is going to come, and I intend to walk through it, not only because I can't wait to be with Mitchell, but because I will finally be ready to walk through it of my own accord. It doesn't matter how many powers I develop, I'm just not willing to waste them on Edgar and other psycho vampires."
"But your powers are to be used to help these people…" said Nina.
"No, they're not. I'm going to use whatever powers I acquire, to help other ghosts cross over or to find the reason why they haven't. I'm going to use my powers to travel to places that need an extra helping hand, charities, shelters, hospitals. This is why I have an over abundance of love, not just to help you all, but to help as many people as I can. I'm going to do what Mitchell wanted me to do, and that was to live. I'm going to go to my family and show myself, give my mum and dad the absolute tightest hug, and tell them how much I love and have missed them. I'm going to sing to my nephew and nieces, and hold them as lovingly as I've held baby Mitchell. I'm going to go to Rio de Janeiro and dance in the Samba parade, go to weddings, and concerts, and lay on every beach until I get a tan, I might even go to New Zealand walk onto the set of The Hobbit and kick over a chair."
"No matter what kind of cherry you put on top of it girl, it still sounds like giving up to me." Edgar taunted.
"One thing I've prided myself on, is patience, Hettie interrupted, I have no problem waiting until the wolf becomes stronger than the human."
"You should just take her now Hettie." Edgar argued.
Hettie looked over all the people she had come to know these last two months, and smiled, I once said that there is no shame in surviving, and that is exactly what Annie is doing. She's not a coward. Tom and Michael will protect the humans, looking over to Edgar she said, thanks to you; they've gotten quite a reputation of their own and have gotten rather good with their vampire staking skills."
"You know so well that there's no shame Hettie, because you're a survivor yourself..." Annie said.
Hettie smiled when she responded to Annie, "For decades, I've watched all these men get seduced by the power of being a vampire and it always leads to them wanting to take over the world. It makes me laugh, when we've been walking around since ancient times. Well, Hettie continued, I'm going back home to Bolivia, now that I have Nina's scent, her wolf can find me anywhere."
"You're just a weak little girl…"Edgar snarled.
"And you're a foolish old man, Hettie responded without any malice. Looking over to Tom and Michael, Hettie said, Annie's right about another thing, once Edgar's gone, someone else will come to take his place, and when that person is gone, yet another slick haired vampire will waste everyone's time with the same tired agenda. I don't know if I've grown too fond of you all, but my advice would be to stay ready, the fun hasn't nearly ended for you boys."
"Thanks Hettie..." Tom replied.
"George, I suggest you take Annie's adviceas well, I'll give you safe passage on my word and Nina, some day, you and I will see one another again."
Hettie brought her focus back to Annie. She smiled as she sweetly said, "Annie, I'm proud of you, I might locate that Owen and drain him dry for killing you before I could have met you."
Annie laughed because she knew this was the highest compliment Hettie could give her. She responded, "I would have made a horrible recruit."
"I think you would have at that actually, but it would have been nice to have you around…. Give my regards to Mitchell when next you see him. "
Hettie pulled a cursing Edgar along with her as she turned and walked away.
The End… or better yet...The Beginning. ;-D