Chapter 42

A New Beginning

In her little medical room Juliet was sat on the bed by one of the medics. They weren't looking at her like she was crazy anymore. In fact this one smiled brightly at her each time they locked eyes. She was only a little perturbed by this fact. Darren came in after the medic had finished cleaning her cuts and scratches with his tongue, something she tried not to freak out over. She just repeated in her head over and over 'Magic spit, magic spit.' Her weapons sat discarded on the table beside her, and she was surprised nobody had come to take them yet.

And the spit truly was magic. It had healed her abdomen, though the flesh still tingled and was sore to the touch and when she tried to twist and turn it screamed at her in protest, something she'd had to ignore with full force while fighting in that cave. Darren sat across from her as the medic worked. He looked relieved.

"I take it your friend is okay?" She said.

"He will be. Now I'm just worried about one other friend." He smiled at her. Juliet resisted the groan that threatened to spill forth. These people too success in battle way too well.

The medic touched her right shoulder and Juliet let out a small hiss.

"It's completely been removed from its place," he said. Juliet nodded, glaring at him stating the obvious. The appendage hung at her side with no resistance. "I will have to force it back in." He said. "Are you ready?"

Juliet took a deep breath. "Do it." She locked eyes with Darren as he watched, curious. The moment the medic touched her shoulder again she clenched her jaw, and Darren winced. As the medic tightened his grip and moved to position the bone back at its socket Juliet tried to calm her mind and find her focus, but the pain was amazing, even as the medic moved as quickly as possible. He braced his other arm on her good shoulder and pushed.

Darren's face paled at the cracking and popping sound that followed the medic's sudden movement, and he saw Juliet's hand clenched, nails digging into her legs. The medic took a step back and lifted her arm by the hand. Juliet winced.

"Move your fingers for me." He said.

She complied, wiggling her fingers with some difficulty. "My arm is broken, I think." She said, pointing with her good arm to a bruise growing just beneath her elbow.

"Yes I think you're right. We'll set that and wrap it. You won't be able to use this arm for some time." He was grabbing bandages and a sling, rummaging through the items in boxes on the tables she'd always ignored. "You're very lucky you didn't sufferer more grievous injuries."

"I'm not lucky," she said, winking at Darren. "I'm just a badass."

Darren smiled and the medic shook his head with a chuckle, finishing his work on Juliet's arm. She had a makeshift bandage cast around her elbow down to her wrist, and her arm was pressed against her chest directly beneath her breasts to keep her from moving her shoulder.

"One last thing," the medic said. "I need to check your stitches."

Juliet shook her head. "No need, it's healed."

"Then they need to come out."

Juliet groaned and leaned back on the stone bed, wincing as her shoulder touched the cold rock, allowing the medic to lift her shirt and cut at her bandages with his sharp nails. He was careful not to pull to harshly at the bandages that went over her shoulders as to not disturb her arm. As he removed the bandages he inhaled sharply, clearly surprised at what he saw.

Darren stood and went to the bed, looking down as well. It was impressive. The once profusely bleeding wound was nothing but a scar, thick and angry, but healing. "You were right. It's healed." The medic nodded. "I'm going to take out these stitches and apply some saliva to the remaining openings. That should heal them. Then you can get on with a thin bandage."

He began his work and Darren watched in awe. Just two days prior that injury had been barely closed, bleeding at the slightest upset. He looked at Juliet, her eyes were cast to the ceiling and she was stroking her broken arm idly. Though he didn't know how, Darren knew that somehow she had been the one keeping her body from healing. This acceptance she'd found for the Vampires must have affected her more than she let on.

As the medic finished up, gathering up the used bandages to be washed or discarded, Juliet struggled to sit up. Darren helped her. "Why did you go down there, Juliet?" he asked as the medic departed.

Juliet sighed. "I already told you-"

"Yeah, but I really want to know now. You could have been killed. What if your wound wasn't as healed as you'd thought? What if everything had gone differently?"

Juliet smiled, shaking her head. "You can't dwell on things like that Darren." She said. "But if you must know, I just… I had to see him." Her eyes glazed over as she remembered her first thought, seeing Mika forced against a wall with those Vampaneze attacking him. She'd seen him as he was before, desperately fighting to keep her safe. That same look on his face. He wanted to protect his people. "If we could… if I could just get past my own head for one minute and fight beside him… maybe I could trust him. Trust you, trust all of you."

Darren nodded, understanding. "You all have been too kind, too lenient on me for what I did," she continued. "I didn't deserve it, but I know he fought for me. He told me, but I knew that before he told me." She sighed again. "I needed… to help. To show that it wasn't for nothing. I'm grateful, to all of you for giving me another chance."

Darren smiled now. "Well, keep that in mind," he said, laughter in his eyes. "Because you've been summoned to the Hall of Princes."

The Hall of Princes was not full, but it contained every Vampire in the mountain, save those that guarded the main entrances. They all had come once details of the battle deep beneath the mountain had come to surface. Though all had known about the presence of the Vampaneze and the group that had gone to combat them, word of their perilous encounter had taken time to circulate. As Juliet approached the large domed doors, guided by the Little Person, Harkat, and the guards knocked to signal her arrival, she was nervous. There was only one reason they had summoned her. They had finally decided what to do with her.

She walked past the crowd of Vampires, heart beating wildly, dozens of thoughts raced through her mind. But she knew how to keep her face stoic and calm, hiding her inner turmoil. She snuck glances at the Vampires that surrounded her. She had never seen so many Vampires in her life. How many could there be in the world? What if they had witnessed her brutality and deemed her too dangerous? Even though she had told them to just kill her if that's what they wanted, she didn't want to die. Not when she was finally in a place of mind where she could uncover the secrets she'd been avoiding all of her life.

Mika, Darren, Arrow and an extremely old Vampire sat in stone thrones on a raised platform in the center of the hall. All of them regarded her with kind eyes as she stopped before them and Harkat left to take a seat. Juliet noticed Mr. Crepsley, Darren's mentor and sire standing next to the young Vampire's throne. He held himself on crutches, but stood proud.

"Welcome to our hall, Miss Juliet." The elderly Prince said.

Juliet couldn't stop herself. "Just Juliet, no 'miss'." She reiterated. The elderly Vampire smiled.

"Juliet. I believe you have met my fellow Princes, Mika ver Leth, Darren Shan and Arrow." He regarded them each with a nod as they nodded at her. "I am Paris Skyle."

"Pleasure." She said. Her good hand instinctively went to pop her knuckles, something she did when she was nervous. Her stomach was roiling, but as she popped the knuckles of the hand on her broken arm it shot pain up through her arm and she inhaled deeply. "You called me here?" she asked.

Paris nodded slowly. "We wished to discuss a matter of great importance, and it concerns you."

"Humans do not venture to our mountain, Juliet." Arrow began. "None have ever made it, and if they had they would not have left alive."

Juliet's mouth went dry. She nodded.

"But you aren't quite human are you?" Mika added. His black eyes bored into hers, and Juliet knew he wanted to hear her say it, that they all did. They were looking for a loop hole. They were trying to save her.

Juliet sighed deeply. "I met you over fifty years ago, Mika ver Leth. I was young then. But look at me. I'm still young, aren't I?"

The Vampire nodded and murmurs went up in the hall, Paris raised a hand to silence the Vampires. "So you understand that you are… ageless?" Paris asked. Juliet nodded.

"Do you know why?" Darren asked, the same question he'd asked before. Juliet felt as if she was in a rehearsed play.

"I don't. I never bothered to find out. It was hard enough living with it… part of me didn't want to know." She replied, shrugging and wincing at the feeling.

"You do not survive on blood, so we know you are not of our kind." Paris said, nodding softly. "This makes our job harder than it should be."

Juliet locked eyes with Mika, his were calm, but she could see his hands clenched on the arms of his throne.

"The punishment for a Vampire attacking a Vampire Prince death. The punishment for a human entering Vampire Mountain is death." Arrow said, arms crossed. "You have done both these things but you do not fit the rules. You are neither human nor Vampire."

"So we had to make a new rule." Darren said sighing. "One we hope we won't have to use all that often."

Juliet looked at the young Prince imploringly, wanting them to get on with it and tell her what was happening.

"We're going to look at it on a case-by-case basis," Mika said. "We don't expect to encounter many non-human non-vampires, and so we believe it is safe to settle it as such."

"Juliet Andères, you are accused of attacking a Vampire Prince and trespassing into our sacred Mountain." Paris said, his voice booming over the crowd. "What do you say in your defense?"

Juliet looked down at her feet, her hair fell in her face. She sighed and shook her head. "The truth." She said simply. "The truth is that for the past ten years I've lived in haze. I can't say for certain… but I think I was being controlled." Mika leaned forward in his seat, as the other Princes listened intently. "I lived my life never thinking about Vampires after my encounter with Mika. Then suddenly I find myself wanting to find them. It… it's not right." She sounded angry. "Something came over me, put me out of my mind with this obsession… this driving need to come here.

"I'm not a violent person, or I never was. I trained myself in self-defense because I'd encountered Vampires and Vampaneze and… I wanted to be safe, not deadly. So why would I seek out a group of sadistic human Hunters? I still don't know. I lived in a small house in the country with a beautiful garden and a mangy little cat. I traveled the world. I could live forever- or that's what I've come to believe. Why would I give all of that up? I can't even access some of my memories from the past few years… and I've been trying. I…" she put a hand to her head, shaking it sadly. "My only defense is the truth…. I haven't been in control. I wasn't when I started this journey, and I fear I'm barely holding on now."

The Vampires in the crowd talked amongst themselves. The Princes exchanged glances. "What do you think has driven you from this madness?" Paris asked, stroking his long grey beard.

"This place…" she sighed, dragging her hand over her mouth. "Ever since… I… died," she looked at Mika and gestured to her stomach. "Ever since I woke up in that room I've been clear. Like… it's almost like whatever was controlling me left the moment that sword ran through me."

Arrow watched as Mika inhaled deeply. "Well that's one way to end a possession," the tattooed Prince said. "Do you have more to say in your defense?"

Juliet shook her head, moving a piece of hair behind her ear. "I just… I appreciate you giving me this chance to say my piece. It… helps that you aren't looking at my like I'm as crazy as I actually am." She smiled sadly.

"Do not thank us yet, Juliet." Mika said. "We still need to give our cases."

Juliet looked up, confused. Darren cleared his throat. "Everything she's said falls in with what I've witnessed." He nodded. "In the cave that night when she attacked us, she fought like a person possessed. She didn't even blink when Mika's sword went straight through her." He shuddered. "There's mental conditioning and then there's… well something else."

"Do you agree with this Larten?" Paris asked.

The red-clad Vampire nodded. "The look in her eyes then and now," he seemed to consider, and Darren knew he was wanting to stroke the long scar that stretched down his face. "This is not the same person we met in those caves."

"Mika as you have a personal relationship with Juliet, we are reluctant to ask you to speak." Paris said, nodding sympathetically to the Prince. "However you may, if you wish."

Juliet and Mika locked eyes, and she felt the concern pouring off of him. "Juliet was a kind girl. Regardless of her origin, she never struck me as… murderous or cruel. I believe she put herself in a position of strength over the years, wanting to protect herself from creatures of the night like us." A few voices went up in the crowd but Mika continued. "However I have no doubt that she had the means to come and attack me, I don't understand why she would wait so long. To gain experience perhaps? I believe she truly had forgotten about me," his look was only slightly pained. "Revenge doesn't suit her."

Paris went to speak but Arrow interrupted him. "Enough with this somber speech-making!" He grunted. "Let us talk about her for what she is. A hero!" Calls went up in the crowd, and Juliet looked to see the Vampires she had helped in the cavern with Mika. "If revenge was on her mind, why would she risk her own life to save our men? Why fight with a grievous injury to protect the one she supposedly wanted to kill?" he asked.

"I say the girl is telling the truth." Arrow nodded. "She doesn't strike me as a liar, or at least a good one."

Juliet blushed. She knew these Vampires had been able to read her the entire time.

Darren nodded vigorously. "She's shown bravery like any good Vampire would. She wanted to protect us. She…" He looked at her.

"Felt horrible," Juliet said. "I felt like shit that it took me so long to remember this threat." She tugged at her hair. "I just want to be in control of my own mind!"

"Juliet, your crimes are serious," Paris said, locking his pale eyes with hers. Juliet calmed herself. "But your courage is impressive. You put your own life in danger for strangers. I will not ask why, but you have my thanks, and the thanks of every Vampire here."

There were light cheers from the crowd and Juliet nodded.

"However you must still be punished." Paris said.

Juliet sighed, tired of being tugged.

"Community service." Darren said, crossing his arms and mimicking Arrow.

Juliet's head snapped up. "Pardon?" she hissed.

"Or banishment." Mika said, looking at her with those stony eyes.

"Wh-what are you saying?" Juliet asked, scratching at her head.

"We're offering you the choice. If you wish to stay in the mountain you must learn to abide by our rules, and work off your crimes." Mika leaned back in his seat, arms flat on the sides of his throne. "Or you must leave, never return, and never tell anyone how to find this place."

Juliet's heart was beating rapidly. They were going to let her go. She could return to her life. She felt elated and began to smile, but then another thought struck her. If she went back to that life… how did she know she wouldn't become overtaken the same way she had before. How did she know she wouldn't come back? They'd forgiven her this time, but would they a second time, for the same excuse?

And if she left, how would she ever know if the Vampires could help her find out her parentage? Non-humans must stick together, right? Perhaps they know someone or something that could put her on the right path.

"We understand that this is a complicated choice," Paris said. "We can give you a day to think it over-"

"No, no I don't need a day." Juliet said, shaking her head. "What… what do you want me to do? I've got a very specific skill set, and I don't scrub floors." She looked at each of the Princes.

Mika's breath hitched. "You're choosing to stay?" he asked.

Juliet nodded. "I owe you my life, and my sanity, though I don't doubt that you are somehow guilty in taking them from me in the first place …You made a promise to me when I woke up, do you remember?" she asked him. He nodded. "You'll help me find out what I am. I'm holding you to that."

"WELL!" Arrow bellowed. "I suppose you'll need a job!"

Seba Nile stood then, "I could use an assistant in my store rooms. Especially now that we have holes in need of plugging!"

Another Vampire stood. "We're short-staffed in the kitchens, can ye' cook, lass?"

An old, blind Vampire stood, gesturing to be heard. "Vanez, yes old friend, what do you have to offer?" Paris asked.

Vanez Blaine looked in the direction he knew Darren was. "Well young Darren needs a sparring partner and coach that won't break his bones, and can properly educate him." He looked to where Juliet was standing. "What do you say? Feel like beating him into shape?"

Juliet couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as the offers came up.

Darren laughed nervously. "I don't know, she'll have to wait until her arm heals."

Juliet snapped her head to him. "Darren Shan I'll have you know I have more skill in this broken arm than you do in that scrawny hairless body of yours." She snapped.

Larten nodded. "After she lost the use of that arm she still managed to take out two of the remaining Vampaneze in the cavern."

Juliet nodded proudly. "So let me ask you this, Prince," she eyed Darren, he continued to smile nervously. "Do you think you can handle me?"

Mika looked on at the scene, his insides were bursting with joy. Juliet had found a home within Vampire Mountain, and he knew she would earn the respect of every Vampire, but at the same time he recalled the dream he'd had of what could have been and shuddered. He watched as Juliet was approached by Vanez to discuss the details of Darren's training.

"Welcome to Vampire Mountain, Juliet." He whispered. Though he knew, with the raucous laughter all around them, that there was no way she could have heard him, Mika was surprised when she turned, hand on her hip, and locked her narrowed eyes on his. In that moment, with their eyes fixed on one another, the world seemed to stop its motion and it was only Mika and Juliet. In that instant their minds shared a single, crystal clear thought:

'This must be fate.'

And in the blink of an eye it was over, Juliet had turned back to her newfound comrades, eagerly discussing the plans for her new life at Vampire Mountain.

-End Part 2-

(A/N: Thank you all for reading/reviewing up until now. I know it's been a hectic… 6 years… as I've been working on this. The writing has gotten substantially better in that time! Hahaa. I have a clear outline for where this story is going, and believe it or not, we're less than halfway there! So just stick around, and I promise it will be worth it! Thanks, and much love- Zoltar)