CHAPTER FOUR:

The sky began to darken and at some point, tiny pinpricks of light shone in the black air. Becky wrinkled her nose as she continued to drive speedily. She knew that it was still Father's Day today, but when she had woken up from her fainting episode, it felt like an entirely different day. Becky shook her head. She was going to give up on the track of days.

"Do I make a left?" Becky asked. She already knew she had to, but she just wanted to make sure her sense of direction was correct. She didn't want to go all the way around to Balthazar's if she made a error in driving.

"Yeah," Dave said. He spoke in a flatly. Becky was tempted to look at him and see if anything was wrong, but remembered the chances of getting in a car accident if she did.

"Will Bennet be upset we took his car?" At this point, where Becky had learned about Dave's blood-drinking uncle, his sister, and his father (who possibly murdered his first daughter), she was still worried about a trivial matter such as this. It was completely insane. She shouldn't even care they took the car; she should be happy nothing dangerous happened at Dave's apartment when his uncle came.

Dave's voice was still a monotone. "He won't care. He can get a taxi, if he wants."

Becky frowned, creases across her forehead deepening. She had been feeling…grateful? She had been feeling something like that when she got herself into the driver's seat. Becky knew that she was human. Not like her boyfriend, as Cyril Stutler was so kind to point out. It had never occurred to her that she was incredibly lucky to be human. If she had Merlinian parents? Morganian ones? She bet that her family would have been just as ruined as Dave's. So it was a good thing she didn't have magic in her blood, or more accurately, mind. Becky couldn't imagine living like Dave did: going on weeks without hearing anything from family. It was pretty obvious he wasn't in touch with his surviving relatives.

"You don't like talking about your family," Becky said suddenly. She used a pleasant tone, even though the situation was anything but.

When he spoke, he did not sound wary. Just emotionless. "Yeah, that's clear."

"Your uncle," Becky said, "he mentioned some things at the apartment."

"He said a ton of things," Dave mumbled, voice still flat.

Becky quickly stomped on the brake, narrowly avoiding hitting the back of a Chevy. She released a sigh of relief.

Becky sat up straighter and saw the trickle of different colored cars in front of the Chevy. They weren't moving quickly, and when one car moved, there were only a few inches for the other car behind it to fill in. Becky leaned back in her seat, annoyed. Great. Traffic. That was exactly what she needed.

"We're not going to Balthazar's as soon as we thought," Becky said to him. She could look now, since they weren't moving. He kept his eyes glued to the road.

"Yeah."

"So let's talk," Becky said, feeling a tad irritated. She needed information from him. She hated intruding into his personal space and privacy, but she needed to know something.

"I don't want to talk."

"Dave. We have to talk," Becky said. "I know I'm ruining all your privacy. But…we need to talk. We have to. How confusing is this going to work out? Hmm? We don't even know what your dad wants to do when he gets out! How are we going to stop him if you don't tell me or Balthazar or Veronica anything?"

He didn't answer. He just sighed, and leaned back in the passenger seat.

"You don't wanna talk?" Becky said suddenly. "Fine. I'll talk about my family, then."

"Becky-"

"My mom met my dad at college," Becky interrupted, beginning the story. "I always asked about their love life; I was a curious kid. My mother had the same major as him. They were both into art, and my mom fell for him instantly. They were college sweethearts. Their friends loved their relationship. Lots of them said my mom and dad looked good together. I would agree.

"They wanted to get married after they both graduated. My dad was the first to graduate, and he waited patiently for Mom. He got her a ring while he waited. He had some money leftover from college savings, which was a shock because the price of college is staggering. But he had some, and wanted to buy her a ring. They were love birds.

"He planned to propose to Mom under the beautiful sky of New York City. Unfortunately, it had begun to rain. He still proposed. It was a little clumsy, because he tried not to lose it to the rain. Mom laughed, but she was a hundred percent pleased. They were both twenty five.

"Mom gave birth to me months later. I was an easy baby, they said. Mom and Dad both loved me. I was kind of spoiled. I still have my old baby toys. Mom and Dad were pretty much in love. But they didn't realize that they made a big deal over nothing. It was like, one day they loved each other to the point of obsession, and the next, they didn't even want to see each other. They divorced when I was sixteen. Dad moved out, but I still kept some contact with him. My mother never remarried, but Dad had a steady girlfriend. She was okay, I guess, but I preferred him to be with my mother.

"He caught some disease. It was one I never bothered to learn about. I was convinced that if I did, I would know when he would…die. And I didn't want to know that. I visited him in the hospital, but it hurt seeing him on the bed. Lying there, all weak and fragile. Sometimes, if not always, I lied and said I had a lot of homework, or a project to work on.

"He died when he was forty. We went to the funeral. Mom's still around, but…I don't think it's truly enough. And Father's Day has always been my bad day." She finished, then let out a huge gust of air. That had been a lot.

"I don't want to say anything, okay?" Dave said. He was angry now. "Why is everyone so intent on my family? Sorry about your dad and all, Becky, but I don't want to tell anyone about my business." He closed his eyes and began to hum. Becky felt herself flush, but she knew that her boyfriend was entitled to his privacy.

The trail of cars didn't move. Becky turned and saw that there were a bunch of vehicles behind them as well. It was going to be a long drive to Balthazar's.

"I'm going to call him," Becky said. "Is that all right with you?" She couldn't help saying these words a little sharply.

"Mmm," Dave said.

Becky took that for a yes.

Rachael lounged across the couch, her long legs spread over the thick armrests. Her head was laid against the right one. She had her eyes open and her ears alert. In the other room, she could hear the erupting noises that really resembled something like a firecracker. She tried to block out those sounds, but wanted to pay attention to the door. When was Cyril going to come back?

She heard little soft pats that could have been footsteps, but she would never be sure unless the noises in the other room ceased.

"Levy!" Rachael screamed. "Cut that racket out!"

There were a barrage of poundings against the wall, Rachael's cue to shut her mouth. She growled at the wall.

"When you're done, I'm kicking you out," Rachael murmured.

"How nice of you to treat Levyette that way."

Rachael shot up from the couch. She locked eyes with her uncle Cyril immediately. His white eyes traveled from hers to the wall that separated the living room from the other chamber.

"She's making too much noise," Rachael grumbled.

"Enough complaining," Cyril said silkily. "She's trying to get my brother out; of course she is making that much noise."

"Where is Dave?" Rachael asked, looking around him.

"He refused to come with me," Cyril answered. He took out the vial and his expression soured when he saw the little amount of liquid left; he simply shrugged and placed the leftover blood into his glass cup. He set the glass on the night stand next to the couch before throwing the vial into a bin.

"So why didn't you make him?" Rachael asked, irritated. "Haven't you noticed he only weighs about ninety pounds? Knock him out and take him back."

"Wouldn't that be a tad harsh?" Cyril asked. He tried not to smile, but Rachael could see he was amused. He lifted his glass and drank the contents within a minute. There was some on his bottom lip, and Rachael looked away. She couldn't help it. Blood made her stomach churn.

"Who cares?" She jammed her hands into her pockets. "I thought we needed the heirloom."

"We do, Rachael."

"So why didn't you bring him?" Rachael asked. "My father agreed to it as well. You should have just knocked the conscious out of him the first time you saw Dave."

"It would be all too easy, then," Cyril mused. "And where would the fun be?"

"It isn't about fun. He wants the heirloom now, not later," Rachael protested. Another loud bang came from the other room, causing her to jump.

"My impatient brother can wait," her uncle said calmly. "Now, our discussion is over. For now."

He walked over to the door that led to the room Levy was in. Rachael followed as he opened it and went through.

When Rachael had found Levy, she was at her breaking point. Rachael had pitied the girl years before, and felt a sharper stab of sympathy when Levy had looked up and her eyes had widened.

"I thought you were dead," she had whispered.

"You thought wrong," Rachael had corrected her. She had offered the girl a hand. "Get up, Levy. You're going to make sure I can hear my father."

Now, Levy appeared fresher and healthier than ever before. Cyril raised an eyebrow when he saw the transformation. Rachael crossed her arms and made a huffing noise. Levy stood in the middle of the pentagon. Her eyes widened again, just like when Rachael had found her. She was staring at Cyril this time.

"Mr. Cyril," she said, her full lips trembling. Whether she was shaking from joy or fear, Rachael had no idea.

"Levyette," Cyril greeted curtly. "Have you finished up here? Or are you still contacting the spirits?"

She flushed; a bright, pink color. "I haven't completed my assignment yet, sir. It takes time to speak with those imprisoned. Mr. Stutler is an especially difficult case."

"You spoke with him before," Rachael pointed out.

"Because I was fed before," Levy said, blushing again. Her eyes flickered back to Cyril, whose tongue licked his bottom lip, which was still stained with red. Levy's own tongue stuck out, desperate to get some for herself.

"You will feed again," Cyril said. "So do not worry. I would like to know when my brother will be freed. Damien is rather impatient."

"Dave wanted me to slow down the process," Rachael explained.

"And you said yes? Why, Rachael," Cyril said, his tone full of mock surprise, "you said yourself we needed the heirloom. You were dead set on me bringing your brother. And now, here you are, stalling our preparations. Care to explain?"

She glared at him, then snapped, "It doesn't matter if I do! We can't get him out because we don't have all the ingredients."

Cyril smiled back at her. "Find those ingredients."

"Find my brother," Rachael shot back.

"No fighting, please," Levy whispered, her voice as light as feathers.

"Levy? I would like to talk with Damien. Could you try once more?"

Levy looked down. "Okay. But I need you both to step back." She shut her eyes and chanted soft words under her breath. Cyril retreated with Rachael as Levy prepared herself. A large explosion of green and yellow works erupted from the pentagon. Levy rolled off the pentagon, on the floor. Rachael rushed to her to make sure she wasn't dead, and Cyril took her place in the pentagon.

"Damien," her uncle called fiercely. "How are you holding out?"

"Just fine," his brother said. He sounded incredibly sharp. "I'm dandy, considering the fact I have been stuck inside a box for years."

Cyril chuckled. "Haven't lost your sense of humor, I see."

"Of course not. Where is David?"

"He isn't here."

"Why is that? Haven't I told you I wanted him here?"

Cyril laughed again. "Not to worry, Damien. I will bring your boy soon."

"Why didn't you do that before, though?" his brother demanded. "Cyril?"

"There is no fun in that," Cyril said. "How funny it would be to see the human girl's face after she realizes she lost her boyfriend." He chuckled at the thought.

"Cyril." The dangerous tone of Damien brought him back to earth.

"I'll visit him again," he sighed. "Rachael still needs to find her ingredients before you can come out. We have the box, but it won't be of much use unless we have the other materials. Levyette is here as well."

"Yes, I know that," Damien said. He was impatient again. "But I need him here. He can't be alone. Levyette senses that he has Merlinians with him."

"Merlinian?" Cyril sounded shocked. "He isn't a Morganian? Why…I just that he wanted to make things difficult."

"Yes, he is a Merlinian," Levy's frail voice said. She was still on the floor, but she had propped herself up on one elbow.

"No one in the family has been a Merlinian for centuries," Damien hissed.

"Exactly," Rachael murmured. "This is why I wanted him here faster."

"Cyril," Damien snapped. "Bring him here. I need to speak to him. And Rachael! Find the items required and take me out of this prison."

"I will," Rachael said, rubbing her temples. "Uncle, get out of here and get my brother."

"Will do," Cyril laughed. Immediately, Damien's voice was gone.

I hate myself for making this chapter short!

A.T.