So:
After doing some math, I decided that in order for Nora to be 22 in 2014 (which is the age I made her, so Vee is already married), she would be born in 1992. So Hank would have to start all his secrets then.
As for my cliffhangers, I love cliffhangers, and if I didn't use cliffhangers you guys might not come back :'( I didn't do a cliffhanger for this chapter. But it's a Past chapter. I spin things out, Arabian Nights style.
Also, I've been thinking...
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chauncey's Diary
Everything was going perfectly to plan. When we'd moved to Coldwater, I had more access to Nephilim than I'd ever had. I was able to organize them, and I was (of course) placed in charge, seeing as I had the most resources at my disposal. It was my very own blood society, and with time and my skills, it would develop into something even the Fallen would fear. I stood in my office, thinking. Always thinking; I could never slip. Things were tense; my men were hardly trained, yet they were continuously attacked. I was sure that Patch and his little friends were a part of the miscreant activities, trying to harass them and throw off my proceedings. I had to find a way to solve the problem, quickly.
Everything except one little problem.
A good starting place would be to make sure that my second hand in charge was focused.
Barnabas, or Hank as he went by these days, was distracted. I'd let him go to high school, and college, hoping to keep his mind active, but while he excelled in their society, he seemed to be much more focused on it than normal. He had a tendency to make human friends, although I continuously warned him against it. The last time he'd had a wife and children, they'd died in the unexplained circumstances of a fire. One would think that it would stop him from making those same mistakes, but no. At the moment, he was fascinated on this girl, this Blythe Adams. He was forever a creature of impulse, and I'd had it with his decisions.
He entered my office, bowing. "Yes, Chauncey?" I waved my hand, to make him close the door. I could see his skin flushed, as if he'd had a naughty thought and was trying to clear his mind.
"Hank?" It annoyed me even more.
"Yes, sir?"
"At this moment. What are you thinking?"
He jumped. "I'm thinking about the state of the soldiers' training…"
In a flash, I pinned him to the wall by his throat.
"Don't lie to me, 'Hank'. You're thinking about that human woman again! What have I told you?"
He swallowed, trying to breathe. "That the mission—"I finished for him.
"That the mission is first and foremost. It takes precedence. We are here only to save ourselves and our Nephilim brethren, not to have dalliances with human women!" I lifted my arm, as if to punch him, and he dodged from underneath my grasp.
"It's nothing like that anymore! Honestly! You made—I'm married to Susanna now! Blythe is even going to marry Harrison this summer!"
Hm. Harrison Grey was one of my last descendants, and was one of Hank's acquaintances while he attended college. So she'd moved on that quickly?
"Well, obviously she's less than savory or important if she's moved on to him that quickly. She's not worth another thought. Now. Susanna is a perfect match for you. Nephilim and of good breeding. She's mandatory for your image right now. Do not disappoint me by continuing relations with that other woman." I commanded him. I looked at his face; he seemed miserable.
"I understand, sir." He said, regretfully. I paused, staring at him in frozen anger.
"You still want that woman. Everything we've built, everything I've built, and you want to throw it away from some wench." I stated.
"No, sir." He answered mechanically. I waved some men into the room, and commanded them to grab him. He began to panic, and struggle from their grasp. I grabbed his chin, and forced him to face me.
"I don't think you do. You. Are. Nephilim. Above humanity. Enemy to the Fallen. There is, and never will be, any space in your heart for anything else. If you don't like Susanna, that's too damned bad, because regardless of what you want, you will stay married to her. I don't understand why you don't understand your lack of choice in this. I've been too lenient. I've given you too much freedom and favor, and that I do understand. You will be taught better now."
Throwing his chin, I stood back, staring at the undisguised hate he had in his eyes. Good; he only need learn to channel it in the proper direction. I faced the men holding him.
"Take him. Chain him, and beat him to within an inch of his life. When you are finished, take him to solitary and leave him there. He needs to learn that this is his only cause for survival. He is an example. If I can do it to my second in command, I can do it to anyone here."
"Chauncey…Chauncey you bastard!" Hank's face was feverish. I turned away from him, and the men dragged him out. I could hear his shouting all the way down the corridor. I knew that if Hank didn't understand, and respect his position, he would keep disobeying. It was proper punishment. If he couldn't learn it on his own, he would be molded. I would do this continually if necessary. In fact, I think I would, until I was certain he understood.
He would fear me. They would all fear me.
1996- Patch's POV
I was sitting down, leaning against a tree at the park. I was some distance away from a playground, so the sounds of children's laughter echoed across the grass.
My cap covered my expression; no child needed to see the extremely irritated look I had on my face. Rixon had left me here, supposedly to handle business with some woman, but he'd told me to wait for him. As to why I couldn't leave, I didn't know, but he said he'd handle it quickly. I felt so awkward, sitting there. I shouldn't have been there at all. I would have rather been in my dark, cool studio, researching.
To pass the time, I daydreamed about the last clash we'd had with Chauncey and his men. It had been bloody; the soldiers were becoming hardened and it was slightly harder to fight them. No problem; more fun for us. After moving into Delphic, we joined the unspoken alliance between the fallen to stop issues exactly like Chauncey was causing. Uprisings and such. Because Chauncey and Hank were Rixon and my Nephilim, we were always a part of the group that had to fight. It was very enjoyable, seeing how much my fighting skills had improved over the centuries. It kept me in shape, along with going to the gym every once and a while. Rixon might have teased me a long time ago, but in reality I was ten times the fighter I was when he met me.
It showed the extent of my temper, that imagining fighting Nephilim was making me calm. If I could feel the heat, it would've made for a very bad day.
Suddenly, I jumped. In my dozing, I hadn't noticed a ball hit me in the chest. I grabbed it; it fit perfectly in my palm. A little girl, a toddler, came to grab it. I let some of my annoyance slip when I held it out to her.
"Watch where you throw that thing! Goodness, I can't believe I'm sitting here right now!" I said, glaring.
It was illogical for me to take my annoyance on a kid, and I was going to say a quick 'sorry' and leave, but her response stunned me. Despite the look on my face, she didn't flinch from me. She tossed her curly red curls back, and her wide, stern gray eyes flashed.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't choose to sit in park, where kids play!" she shouted in a high voice, lifting the ball as if she'd throw it back at me.
My eyes rose in dark amusement- the kid had nerve. There was only one person who'd spoken to me that way, and she'd died a long time ago.
"You really want to do that?" I challenged darkly.
"Nora!"
We both turned to the man running towards us. Harrison Grey. How ironic; one of Chauncey's descendants. He quickly scooped up the girl and looked at me warily.
"I'm so sorry. She's such a precocious child; she doesn't normally act out so much. She's actually quite sensible most days! Apologize to the man, Nora." He said. The little girl's face crumpled, but she tried to hold back the tears and folded her arms. I laughed quietly, standing up over both of them.
"It's no problem." I answered, trying to hide my laughter.
Nodding at my answer, he quickly walked away. I heard part of their conversation as he left.
"What did I say about strange adults, Nora?" The little girl rolled her eyes, as if the question was too easy.
"Oh, daddy. 'If they aren't Mommy or Daddy, don't talk to them.' Right?" she recited, looking back at him for approval.
"That's my girl. Now, how about some ice cream?"
She giggled happily. For some incomprehensible reason, her little giggle made me chuckle.
"I know you like em' red, but young? Don't tell me you like watchin' kids! Do I have to report you?"
I turned to Rixon's familiar brogue. "Ha ha. You put me here against my own free will. Please tell me you finished whatever business you have."
His face changed very minutely for a moment, a flash of disturbance. It faded immediately. "Nope."
I could have socked him in the face, but because there were children present I let it go.
"Whatever. My turn now. You said you'd help me tonight in exchange for this, and there's no backing out." I told him, walking from the tree.
"Sure, right. Human nonsense, Book of Enoch, yep. Pointless, but sure." He sighed.
We began to leave the park, and I listened to Rixon talk about his excitement at fighting Nephilim and the latest girl he'd found to mess with. I sensed someone's eyes on my back, and I turned.
The little girl was watching me over her ice cream, eyes wide.
I smiled, and she blushed and hid behind her dad's legs, still peeping at me. Before he could turn and falsely accuse me of anything, I was gone.
Hm? What's Rixon hiding? Isn't baby Nora adorable? Why doesn't she remember this? And as for Hank, I feel like it's a "reap what you sow" sort of connection. Patch created the monster that is Chauncey, who in turn creates Hank's...karma all around!
Anyway, I was thinking...but no...never mind, I'll wait until the end...
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