Hey, guys! Thanks for all the reviews and stuff! Two-hundred and six bloody reviews! I could've prepared a speech, but I guess I'll improvise.
I'd like to thank my Mum, who has no idea what I do in my very little free time. And my Dad, who also doesn't know what I do with my free time. I'd like thank all of you guys for reviewing, as well! Keep it coming and don't stop…reading? Hm, whatever, I guess that's what happens when I improvise. :)
Well, I guess I'll answer some reviews now. Here we go! Wait! These are the people that got the songs correct:
Summer Afternoons, CloverThyne, and Sorry I just did! I guess it was a bit trickier this time! :)
The Girl of the Moon: As much as I'd LOVE that to happen, no it wasn't. They are only eighteen. :P
TsukiyoTenshi: They are page breaks, but I put song lyrics in them to jazz it up. :D
ThaliaGrace1: That's so weird! I hope you enjoyed your pumpkin latte! :)
.Death: I THOUGHT I reviewed more than once. *shrugs* the world may never know… :)
Renkrawler17: Uh…thanks, I guess? Wait, how was it original AND normal? Aren't those opposites?
"Amy? Do you have to pee or something?" Hamilton asked me. "You look like you're about to bounce off the walls."
I froze. "Sorry, it's just that I'm really excited."
Hamilton smiled knowingly. "I've noticed."
The seven of us entered the ballroom. Fiske had stayed in the car that was parked outside just for emergencies. Soon, I got distracted by the huge room. The Kabras looked unimpressed, but it was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. The room had gold trim and a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. However, the people dancing didn't match the room's elegant aura. They had the same type of clothing that I was wearing. It was something like a mix of a ball gown and a party dress.
"The gold is obviously fake." I heard Natalie whisper to Ian.
"Yes, sister, I think we can all tell that. Now, shush, we don't want to draw attention."
Did they even know who they were? They're Kabras. They draw attention anywhere they go. Well, I guess since they were disguised, it was different. However, even with a different eye color, Ian caught the stares of many women. Well… his new blue eyes did fit him pretty well.
"Now, guys, you only need to blend in and try to get some information out of these people," Fiske said through a tiny microphone in my ear. We all looked at each other and nodded.
"Well, might as well blow this popsicle stand," Jonah said, sauntering off.
Sinead rolled her eyes. "What he said, but in a different word choice," she said, and went into the crowd of dancing people.
One by one, we went our separate ways. Just then, a cute guy came up to me. Maybe this was going to be even better than I thought…
"Hey," he said, shooting me a smile. "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new?"
I smiled, nodded, and stuck out my hand. "I'm Samantha Riece."
He shook it, returning my smile. "Logan Worthington."
I remembered him from one of the Vesper files. I guess I could get some information out of him and have some fun at the same time. "Do you want to dance?" Logan asked.
I smiled again. "Sure!" My girly tone almost made me wince.
I would never speak like that, but I wasn't myself tonight. I was Samantha Riece, a bubbly, hyper, girl. Logan led me to the dance floor and luckily, a slow song was not on at the moment. I took a quick three-sixty glance around the room. Hamilton, Jonah, Ned, and Sinead were lounging by the refreshments. Natalie was dancing with someone and Ian was being tailed by a few girls. It should be easy for him to get information out of them.
"So, how long have you been a Vesper?" Logan asked. What an odd question…
"Uh, a couple of months," I said, coming up with a random answer.
"Cool, I was born right into the bloodline," Logan bragged. "So, basically all my life."
"That's so amazing!" I said, giggling. "I bet you know how everything works around here." I batted my eyelashes.
"Yeah, I know all the deepest secrets. Nothing big, though," he said, shrugging his shoulders "modestly."
I stopped dancing and placed a hand on his arm. "Could you tell me a few?" I asked sweetly and he smirked.
"Why don't we take a step out in the hallway and talk?" He asked, already leading me off the dance floor and through a door.
When we were alone in the hallway, I turned to him. "So, you want to tell me the basics around here?" I asked.
"Why not?"
I almost snorted. Why not? What a mistake.
"Well, you see, we keep all of our darkest secrets in a special room on the top floor of this very mansion. It belongs to my grandfather. I could give you a special tour of the house, if you'd like," Logan said, wriggling his eyebrows.
I giggled and twirled a piece of hair around my finger. "Wait, I heard something about the Cahill's shield. Didn't we steal it or something?"
He scoffed. "Cahills, what a pathetic excuse for people." Suddenly, his scowl turned into a triumphant grin. "Yeah, we did. About time, too."
"Where is it kept? I want to see what it looks like," I said innocently.
"Uh, uh, uh, I'll answer that for a small price," he said, leaning in closer. My eyes widened. I didn't know what to do.
"I got the information. We need to get out…now." Ian's voice filled my ear.
I thanked his good timing, swung my fist back, and slammed it right into Logan's face. He cried out in surprise, clutching his face. I sprinted down the hallway and retraced our steps. I saw Sinead exiting from the east door. I caught up with her.
"Sinead!" I whispered, not wanting to blow our cover. "Where's everyone else?"
"I don't know! Everyone went different-"
A loud siren cut her off. "Code red! Code red!" The mechanic voice screeched. I heard people from the ballroom shouting something about Cahills.
Our cover was blown.
Sinead and I dashed towards the parking lot door. It was locked. I whirled around, desperately looking for another way out.
"There!" Sinead pointed to an open window.
We took off, taking our shoes off in the process. I took a running start and flew through the window. In midair, I morphed and landed on the ground as a wolf. Sinead was right behind me. My wolf senses helped me detect everything that was going on around me. A violet snake slithered past me. It was Natalie. A sandy bear and a chocolate wolf came through the North door.
Where's Ian? Natalie's cry rang through my brain.
Cahill check! Sinead yelled over the noise.
Everyone was here, but Ian. Suddenly, Vespers poured out of the building. Some of them were carrying weapons and some weren't. I recognized Logan as one of the people with a weapon.
Come on! Ned shouted at us, flapping his wings to take off. I saw Jonah and Hamilton climb onto Ned. They took off leaving me, Sinead, Natalie, and Ian, wherever he was. I saw them soaring above us, hitting some of the Vespers with who knows what.
Ian! Natalie called frantically.
I dodged to the left and a bullet whizzed past my ear. My reflexes had kicked in at the last second. A spear sailed over my head. I jumped, caught it in my mouth, and flung it back at the owner.
I thought you might want it back, I thought to myself.
A bullet his Sinead in the tail, but it barely made an indent. I did see her wince, though. I whirled around. Ian was nowhere in sight. Where could he have gone?
Then, glass shattered from the top window as Ian freefell from the window, several sheets of paper clenched in his hand. Sinead took off from the ground and caught him halfway. I felt Natalie wrap herself around my leg. She wouldn't be able to climb onto Sinead by herself. Another bulled shot past my muzzle. I ran and jumped onto Sinead in midair. I demorphed as soon as I felt her dragon scales on my skin.
Natalie demorphed as well. I saw her hug Ian tightly then lie down on Sinead's back. My hair was being blown all over the place. I was barely able to stay sitting and see where we were. I caught Ian's eye and he held up a piece of paper triumphantly.
There was no need of words. We had a lead to where the shield was. I gave him a weak smile and collapsed onto him. I felt the rocking motion as Sinead flapped her wings.
After awhile, I noticed that we were losing altitude. We were barely hovering ten feet above the ground before I jumped off her. Ian and Natalie followed suit. We hit the ground and went tumbling. Sinead turned back into her human form before she hit the ground. She made a crater in the ground and lay there, still. Panicked, I rushed over to her. Sinead was still breathing, but she was unconscious.
"I feel like doing the same thing," Natalie grumbled.
"Uh, guys?" I said, looking around us.
"What?" Natalie asked.
"Look where we are," I said. Tall pine trees were scattered around us. The night sky twinkled brightly and a cold breeze swept through the forest. I knew one thing. This wasn't Attleboro. Where were Ned, Jonah, and Hamilton? How would Fiske find us? Our only method of transportation was currently passed out cold.
"Well, this isn't good," Ian observed, running a hand through his already tousled hair.
"N-nope." I yawned and curled up on the ground. I needed some sleep…desperately.
"We'll sort this out in the morning," Ian said, and lay down next to me.
Natalie curled up into his opposite side. I shivered in the cold and Ian pulled me close to him. I heard him snicker at my discomfort and I had enough energy to flick his ear. After awhile, I gingerly placed my head on his chest and inhaled the familiar scent of clove.
He was warmer than me and that was better than nothing.
Author's Note: Hey, mates! :D Nataliya here, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Did you? Did you? Did you? The world may never know…unless you review. I know there were no line breaks in this one, so you can't guess for songs. :( Meh, I promise to do it next time!
~Nataliya :)
And here's a little conversation with a few of the characters! Ft. Ian and Jonah!
Jonah: Hey, I was barely in this chapter!
Me: Don't whine, love. It's unattractive.
Ian: Hey, you can't use that nickname! It rightfully belongs to me! I'll sue you and the whole Fanfict-
Me: Don't whine. It's unattractive.
Ian: That's mine too!
Jonah: Deal with it.
Me: You too, mister!