In Fate's Hands

After hanging up the phone I didn’t move. The only movements in my apartment were those of the air conditioner blowing and the moving of my lungs as I kept breathing. If I would have moved it probably would have made the wait seem shorter. But I was frozen.

I stared at the clock as the third hand slowly made its way around the face of the clock again. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. There was finally a knock, which broke my attention from the slow moving clock. I took a deep breath and went to the door.
I could tell that Rob knew something was up just by the look on his face the second I opened the door. But there was no way that he couldn’t have guessed the truth in a million years.

“Hey.” I smiled, trying to being the process of convincing him that I was normal.

“Hey. What is going on? What did you need to talk about?” He asked.

“Come on in first.” There was no need for him to run away from the doorway. He could at least run away from the couch. Damn Charlotte. As soon as we had sat down I figured that I might as well get started.

“You know how we are taught that all the things that go “bump” in the night aren’t real? That vampires, werewolves, fairies, and all these things aren’t real when we are little?” I asked, figuring that this might be the best way to start off.

“Yes.”

“Well I was raised differently than that. I wasn’t taught they weren’t real. I was taught about them. Everything about them.” He looked confused as I took a deep breath. “I was never taught not to worry about what was outside my window in the middle of the night. I never had that place of security where it was all just a story made up to scare people.”

“So you believe in that stuff?”

“I haven’t been completely honest with you, and I’m sorry. But I wanted to protect you from this. But I can’t.”

“Protect me from what.”

“I’m not what you think I am.”

“What do you mean you aren’t what I think you are?”

“I mean you think of me as just a normal human being.”

“Yes, that is true. I do think of you that way.”

“I’m not normal.”

“How are you not normal?”

“I’m very different. Rob you have no idea how different I am.”

“What are you talking about Elise?”
“I’m n-not-” I broke off and forced myself to remove my eyes from his gorgeous face, it would be easier to say it that way. “Human.” The silence that fell between us told me not to hope that he would stay.

But what he did next was the opposite of what I was expecting him to do. I had never imagined a reaction like this.

“I don’t care.”

“What?” I looked back at him.

“I do not care. You are the same Elise that I know. You just aren’t human.”

“Aren’t you going to ask what I am?”

“If you want to tell me.”

“Vampire. My breed is calling a blood-fairy.”

“A blood-fairy. So are you part fairy?”

“Um, no. That’s just the breed name. I feel like I am an animal for saying my breed.”

“Don’t. So why are you called that?”

“Wings.”

“Wings?”

“In a time of danger, as a defense mechanism, my body prepares it’s self to grow wings if I need them.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And I can also control when the grow outside of a dangerous situation.”

“Amazing. But what about food? I’ve seen you eat.” I laughed at the puzzled expression on his face and moved closer.

“A blood-fairy is more human. We only crave blood now and then, and only in small doses. We also know how to create a synthetic blood as a substitute.”

“That’s different.”

“You aren’t planning on running away yet?”
“No, actually I’m quite interested now. Tell me more please.”

“Well how about if I start at the beginning of my family?”

“That would be very nice.”

“Okay well listen closely so you don’t miss anything. It was in London in 1852. It began with my mom’s ancestors. Elise and Anthony. Yes I am named after the beginning of our family. It was a spring night with a light rain shower…”

London 1852

Elise and Anthony stood in the light rain that was falling from the sky, unknowing to their future with each other, or what they would become. But the choice had been made and a new destiny awaited them. The London country side was rapidly growing with the new comers, and the new breeds. And soon another new breed.

Other mythical creatures had arrived and the war between species could break out at any given moment. The plans had been made, and nothing could change them now. Elise was a black rose vampire. Anthony was a bat vampire. What they would become after the change, no one knew.

She would bit him and he would bite her. They would either turn into a new species together, or they would simply die together. They were preparing themselves for the transformation, or the process of death when the cries came.

“The werewolves!” A shriek rang through the night.

“Get the women and children and run!” Another cried.

“Gather all of the vampires! Prepare for the war!” Came another.

“Band together!” Was the final cry before every order and cry blended into one. Before it could be decided Elise and Anthony ran back towards where the cries were coming from.

The children ran to their mothers as their mothers prepared to take them and run. Run as far away as they could get before the fight broke out. The young ladies lined up for the fight. The warrior females that was. The sky blackened as the clouds came in line of the moonlight.

The roars erupted from the night as Elise and Anthony took their places in the line with the others. They too would stand against the enemies. The vampires would stand as one. A strange feeling shot through Elise’s blood red wings as the roars became louder.

Seconds later, even as the remaining children and their mothers fled, the werewolves came over the country side hills. They ran at full speed towards the vampires. Their eyes glowing and their teeth bared. The one breed of werewolves that would dare rebel against the vampires. The only ones who had not become allies.

They were closing ground fast as the vampires prepared themselves for what was coming and for the amount of blood that would be shed on this night. The distance was finally closed and the bloodbath began.

The wolves were torn apart, as were the vampires. Lives were lost. The fight raged on for hours, and those who were left were wearing down. The vampires were losing strength as dawn neared and the number of werewolves was shrinking rapidly.

Elise and Anthony were torn apart at the beginning of the battle and were forced to fight wondering if the other was still alive. They continued looking for on another through out the battle. Finally the sun broke into the sky.

The few remaining wolves ran away from the battle as the sun drained their remaining strength from them. And the vampires were left to clean up the battle, find their families, and mourn those who where lost.

“Elise!” Anthony’s voice drifted to Elise as she searched for him.

“Anthony!” She cried back, waiting for him to appear to her. Finally he burst though the crowd and she caught sight of him. He was bloody with several wounds. “You’re hurt!”

“I’m fine. Are you alright?”

“I believe so.” She looked at herself to make sure. Only small gashes from their claws had reached her.

“I’m so glad to see you.”

“As am I.” They ended up back where they had began before the battle. They were the two had lost their families due to the mysterious illness that was plaguing the vampires. They only had each other.

They sat there together as they regained their strength as the once again began preparing themselves for the transformation. They sunk their teeth into each other’s neck at the same time and the venom filled their veins.

And so the blood-fairy was born.

****

“And that’s how it happened.” I finished after recalling the story.
“So do you live forever?” He asked

“No. We die around the same age as humans do. We really aren’t that different. But I am different, even for us.”

“How so?”

“I can see the future.”

“You can see the future?”

“Yes but only certain things. Mostly the weather, or little details about a certain day. Anything big I can’t see unless I’m meant to.”

“That must be amazing.”

“Aren’t you going to run away now?”

“No. I don’t care that you aren’t human. I like you for who you are. Not what you are. I’ve always known that you were special. Since that first day I saw you.” He gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and rested he hand on my cheek.

I liked the way this felt and I felt a flutter in my stomach and a tingle on my shoulder blades. A smile crept across my face and I moved a little closer to him. It was then that I wrapped my arms around him.

“So do I ever get to see your wings?” He asked suddenly.

“Do you want to.”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” I pulled away and stood up.

“I’ll be right back.” I went into my room and found one of the shirts that I had for when my wings were out. There were two open spaces over my shoulder blades that would allow them out. I changed quickly and returned to the living room.

“Here goes.” I mumbled and then concentrated on my wings. The tingle in my shoulder blades became more powerful until it turned and I felt the wings grow out. He gasped immediately.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” I started to say.

“They are beautiful. Just like you.” He said as he stared at the wings that were glittering.

“I don’t know what to say to that besides thank-you.”
“Red and black with a purple sparkle to them?”

“Yeah, that is part of the blood-fairy breed.”

“I’m glad you told me.”

“I’m glad that you didn’t walk away right away.”

“I would never do that.”

“I don’t know what to say Rob.” He smiled and stood up. He walked over to me before whispering in my ear.

“Then don’t say anything. I understand.” He moved from my ear and gently kissed me on the lips. My wings fluttered, which made him smile. Then he pulled away and we just stood there staring at each other. And so the human and the vampire, together.