Seventeen
Four Year Later
Tobias squinted at his reflection, trying to straightened his tie, his handsome stared steadily back at him. His blue eyes seemed to glow, his mouth was set stubborn and firm. His face had matured in four years, the subtle lines of responsibility were etched into his face marking him as a wiser man than he used to be.
"Is anything wrong, Toby?"
He turned to find Blaise Harman fasting the clasp of the Isis stone about her neck, it settled brilliant red, radiating a kaleidoscope of blood red light across her red silk dress. "You look…wonderful." He sighed.
She spun in a circle to show him the dress. "I hope it's fitting."
Blaise Harman always knew exactly what to wear, how to act, how to move. Each move carefully calculated to show her off to her best advantage. The dress showed her flawless creamy pale skin, not a mark, no scars, no ink. "It's perfect."
She put her arm through his and tugged him toward the door and the limo that waited outside. "We should go."
The air was static and cold but it could not stop the droves of impeccable dressed people attend the Descourdres observatory and adjoining grand hall. Sumptuously decorated in a baroque style, filigree and gold leaf at every wall only served to illuminate the crowd.
Witches from the far reaches of the continent had journeyed to gather and bear witness to the spectacle. Whilst most affairs stayed intimate and only amongst witch kind, tonight was a pledge between witch-kind and new allies in the Day.
On this Night of unusual coldness, a boy of no more than four years would become the heir, the link between his people and the Day. But…"He's not ready." Tobias whispered stroking his son's soft downy hair away from his forehead.
The boy was asleep, peaceful, still. He looked every inch like his father save for his eyes. His eyes would always be hers.
"You'll wake him up." Blaise admonished softly gently moving Tobias' hand away from the boys head.
"It'll be okay, you'll see. It's in his blood." Blaise comforted though her words were a bitter, barbed reminder. Blood. He shook his head and stared out of the window. Tobias kept a secret, enveloped close to his heart only one other person knew and that was Blaise. No one else could possibly come to know that his son was human.
Blaise squeezed her hand as if she could ease his nerves.
The limo pulled up some distance from the entrance where sober looking security guards lined the narrow path toward the observatory. It was a formality but it made Tobias uneasy.
Blaise gently picked up the child in her arms without waking the boy and began to walk toward the path. Tobias hesitated and watched the two from behind but from the corner of his eye he caught the shadow flitter through the outer darkness and was compelled to approach it. His pulse began to race as he deduced that it was no mere animal running through the underbrush.
"Come into the light." He demanded.
A shapely figure materialised from the foliage. The woman was a vision in a gown glittering with Swarovski diamonds and sapphire. The sapphire were as hard and icy as her eyes that seemed to glow almost manically.
"Celsia Verain." She extended a manicured hand in greeting but he ignored it. "A pleasure, my Lord. I've come to offer congratulations. Congratulations to both you and your precious little boy."
Celsia Verain made him feel cold, it was an icy sensation that marched up his skin bringing his hair to stand, his body into small tremors. He took a step back holding up a hand that began to crackle with the promise of witch fire.
"The Night World is not invited." Tobias said firmly.
Celsia smiled showing perfectly white fangs. "You shouldn't be so exclusive with your circle of acquaintances, Lord Tobias."
"Leave now or I'll remove you by force."
Celsia's eyes settled briefly on the guards in the distance, they were beginning to come to the realisation that Tobias dallied in the shrubbery. A new smile curved her glossy lips, if she had managed to come this far into the compound surely she had already dealt with a score of security guards but still she remained unflustered and impeccable.
Orange flame lit Tobias' fingertips and it thwarted her chill instantly. "Leave."
She offered an elegant bow. "As you wish, my Lord."
Tobias turned his back and walked toward the entrance where his family stood waiting. He remained confident that Celsia would obey his instruction, for such was the arrogance a Lord of the Night should display when giving such a command.
Celsia sunk back into the darkness but stayed to watch him walk away. Her eyes narrowed into angry blue slits.
"Celsia?"
"Oh I thought you'd never come." Celsia turned to greet her companion with a frosty smile. "There he is, ripe for the picking."
Her companion watched Tobias' back, as it became distant and disappeared altogether through the steel walls of the observatory. The woman's brown eyes were intense but her expression belied not one emotion.
"You can leave now." She said softly.
Celsia stood and moved too quick for the human eye suddenly standing intimately close to her, her icy fingertips brushing her cheek, her lips, and then closer around her throat like an iron vice. "Don't be too long, love."
The companion turned her face toward Celsia where she lay a kiss on her cheek. "I won't be too long." She promised.
*
The woman dressed in black appeared at the fringe of the crowd. A crowd buzzing with much excitement and heady swirls of different flavoured magics. The woman slipped her way between the bodies without a sound.
A sprightly witch noticed her first and stepped forward to catch her eye. "That's a gorgeous dress you're wearing." The light seemed to gleam impossibly from the silver-blond hair and wide lavender eyes but the woman had no time to stop and offer thanks.
A dark haired girl glared at her from across the floor.
The woman forged on through the crowd, but now people were looking, glittering eyes turned to her with keen interest and curiosity. She had not been seen before, nor had she been announced at the door. Was she Day, Twilight, Midnight? She could be all that and more.
The lights suddenly dimmed and the curtains to the stage parted to reveal a clutch of People. Witch light lit the stage in a romantic glow, she recognised Thierry Descourdres instantly but knew little about the petite blond girl at his side. They began to talk, delivering a well practised speech to which the woman heard not a word.
Her eyes were fixed to the stage and in particular one person standing on the stage.
Tobias noticed her first, almost at the front of the crowd, standing out for she wore a stunning black dress. He wavered mid-speech, his eyes stuck to her, sucking in the impossible sight of a phantom. Her hair the colour of deep dark earth, her skin glowing, her eyes brown and now mutating to gleaming molten gold.
The rest of the gathered followed his gaze and whispers began to rise.
"Saben?" Tobias words dissolved into a startled breath until he gathered himself to talk. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again." He took an involuntary step forward, forgetting the People behind him mystified by the scene before them.
Saben Mariely Frost's eyes were not on Toby but fixed to the child Blaise had scooped up protectively in her arms as if to shield him from the sight of the woman.
"Lark?" Her voice was sweet music.
"His name is Daniel." Tobias said gently.
The light in her eyes turned menacing and she looked up at Blaise and back to Tobias. Energy like heat seemed to gather around her as her anger heightened. Security were discreetly making their way toward the vampire.
"Why have you come back?" Blaise asked, her voice was trembling but she covered the little boy's eyes with her hand so he could not see the expression on the woman's face.
"Things are different now," Tobias continued, taking another step toward her, his hands held up in a gesture of peace. Saben did not feel peaceful. "You have to leave." Though he looked in two minds about wanting her to leave.
Outrage had been steadily building, fury possessed her like fire in the blood. Saben looked from Tobias to the boy. Her son. Her mouth fell open and the tips of her fangs rested gently on her lip. Her eyes shone metallic and dangerous but were now shining with tears. Daniel began to sob and struggle in Blaise's grip and Blaise began to bark orders.
People began to step back creating space around the vampire.
Security grasped her by the wrists.