Finding Forever
Three
Standing outside the doors to the Grand Council Hall, I turn to Annesty. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes you can. Just trust me,” She said, reaching for my hand. Forming a tight grip, she led me through the large hardwood doors.
The room was smaller than I expected twice the size of Zane’s suite. A large table ran almost the full length of the room. Six people were seated behind the table, in wooden chairs that resembled thrones. There were two larger chairs in the middle of the row; the woman who I presumed to be Zane’s mother sat in one, leaving the other empty.
“Oh, Annesty, you have returned with the girl. Good.” The dark haired woman’s voice was soft, but somehow like thunder. She was small, but power and strength radiated from her. Anyone could tell she was in control.
“Yes, Lady Elizabet." She bowed her head before stepping to the side with Zane.
Elizabet turned her attention to me, eyeing me as she spoke, “What is your name, young one?” She held an air of confidence.
“Ch-Charlotte, my name is Charlotte Valencia.” My eyes met hers, not even for a second and I had to force myself to stay standing.
She folded her hands on the desk in front of her. “Charlotte Valencia, do you know why you are here?”
I lowered my head and slowly shook it. “No…”
“You are here because, unfortunately, my son disobeyed several laws. And sadly, you are the one who will pay the price for his mistakes.”
“But Mother,” Zane’s velvety voice came from behind me, quiet, almost frightened, “This is the girl.”
Her expression changed, along with her tone. “Oh, Alexander, you should have told me.” A hint of anger showed through her otherwise excited voice. The look she gave him was one only a mother can give her son; it said: I will speak with you later.
“I’m sorry, Mother.” He was then beside me, his hand gripping mine.
His mother looked like she was about to speak, when she was interrupted by one of the other members of Council. Her gaze was set on me as she spoke. “Lady Elizabet, the sun will be rising very soon. We should continue this tomorrow.” The woman spoke as if from a younger time than the other council members appeared to be from. Her dark eyes burned with hatred as she looked from me, to Zane, and back to me.
“Yes, the mornings come early now. But this shall not be a public affair; Alexander, the three of us will continue our discussion tomorrow, at midnight.” She then added, “Privately.”
The woman’s expression changed to a shade of disappointment. I could only see her for a short moment before she, and the rest of the council left the Hall.
This was like court. Zane’s mother was the judge and the other council members were on jury duty. I should have realized there would be witnesses. But I hadn’t even noticed all of the other vampires in the room until the eruption of voices cut through the blankness of my mind, and shook me into reality.
“Charlotte, we have to go.” Zane’s voice broke through the barrier I unintentionally put up. I turned to him as he laid his hand on my shoulder.
“Who was that? She looked like she,” I cut myself short; thinking of what to say next, “Could kill me.” I looked up at him, and noticed that he was studying me again.
His hand glided to mine, never leaving my skin. His touch sent chills through my body. “Let’s go, I’ll tell you in the room.” He looked around the room as he gripped my hand. Everybody stepped aside, as he lead me to the door. Their glares were like daggers; they looked at me with such hatred. But I didn’t understand why. I heard whispers in a language that I didn’t recognise as we passed the open doors, into the hallway.
I didn’t understand any of this.
I sat cross legged across from him, studying his face as he leaned against the headboard of the bed. His eyes were shut and for the first time since we left the Council meeting, he looked peaceful. Undoubtedly out of habit, he breathed slowly. Seeing him so calm was really nice. I could almost forget the night he changed me. I closed my eyes, and then opened them to see Zane gazing back at me. “Like what you see or something?” He grinned as he spoke.
I could feel my face heat up. “I— I’m sorry.” My eyes snapped down, so I was looking at my hands.
“It’s alright, Charlotte.” He said as he readjusted himself. “Hey, come here.” I looked up to see him lying on his side, patting the space beside him. And without realizing it, I laid down beside him.
He propped himself up with his arm and looked down at me. “The sun will be up soon, aren’t you tired?”
I hadn’t realized vampires actually slept. Blocking a yawn, I glanced at him. “No. Should I be?”
He laughed like I said something amusing. “Well, generally, everyone sleeps at night. Our night time is everyone else’s night time; we`re nocturnal creatures. I thought you would have known that.”
“I did. I do. I just thought vampires weren’t real before. I’m still finding this hard to believe.” I was almost stumbling over my words as I started shivering, noticing the cold air. He got up, walking away from the bed when he saw me trembling. “Where are you going?”
“I’m just closing the window, sweetheart.” My stomach fluttered when he spoke. “It’s cold in the mornings here. I’d forgotten that newborns were more sensitive to temperature.” He ran into the other room of our suite, and I heard what must have been the window squeaking shut.
Not even seconds later he was back in bed beside me, holding his arms out to me. When I inched toward him, he closed his arms around me. He loosened his grip and let me roll over to face him. “I know this is all scary and new to you right now. But I promise that I will make things easier. You just have to trust me.”
All I could do was nod. What just happened? Aren’t I supposed to be afraid of these creatures? But… What am I thinking? I am one of these creatures. I looked up to see that he was already asleep. And before I could think anymore, my mind was clouded with slumber.
We awoke to what sounded like fists banging on our door. Zane sat up as he yelled, “What is it?” But before he finished, a man stormed into the room.
“You two have to leave. Now.” His urgency startled us both. “Well, hurry up!”
“David, I know you don’t approve of a newborn, but really?” Zane’s hand touched my shoulder lightly, as he stood.
“I’m not here because of her.” His voice seemed twisted when he mentioned me. “Hunters are attacking. They’ve almost made it through the East Wall. Word got out about your little adventure, and if they see her, they’ll kill us all.”
“Yes you can. Just trust me,” She said, reaching for my hand. Forming a tight grip, she led me through the large hardwood doors.
The room was smaller than I expected twice the size of Zane’s suite. A large table ran almost the full length of the room. Six people were seated behind the table, in wooden chairs that resembled thrones. There were two larger chairs in the middle of the row; the woman who I presumed to be Zane’s mother sat in one, leaving the other empty.
“Oh, Annesty, you have returned with the girl. Good.” The dark haired woman’s voice was soft, but somehow like thunder. She was small, but power and strength radiated from her. Anyone could tell she was in control.
“Yes, Lady Elizabet." She bowed her head before stepping to the side with Zane.
Elizabet turned her attention to me, eyeing me as she spoke, “What is your name, young one?” She held an air of confidence.
“Ch-Charlotte, my name is Charlotte Valencia.” My eyes met hers, not even for a second and I had to force myself to stay standing.
She folded her hands on the desk in front of her. “Charlotte Valencia, do you know why you are here?”
I lowered my head and slowly shook it. “No…”
“You are here because, unfortunately, my son disobeyed several laws. And sadly, you are the one who will pay the price for his mistakes.”
“But Mother,” Zane’s velvety voice came from behind me, quiet, almost frightened, “This is the girl.”
Her expression changed, along with her tone. “Oh, Alexander, you should have told me.” A hint of anger showed through her otherwise excited voice. The look she gave him was one only a mother can give her son; it said: I will speak with you later.
“I’m sorry, Mother.” He was then beside me, his hand gripping mine.
His mother looked like she was about to speak, when she was interrupted by one of the other members of Council. Her gaze was set on me as she spoke. “Lady Elizabet, the sun will be rising very soon. We should continue this tomorrow.” The woman spoke as if from a younger time than the other council members appeared to be from. Her dark eyes burned with hatred as she looked from me, to Zane, and back to me.
“Yes, the mornings come early now. But this shall not be a public affair; Alexander, the three of us will continue our discussion tomorrow, at midnight.” She then added, “Privately.”
The woman’s expression changed to a shade of disappointment. I could only see her for a short moment before she, and the rest of the council left the Hall.
This was like court. Zane’s mother was the judge and the other council members were on jury duty. I should have realized there would be witnesses. But I hadn’t even noticed all of the other vampires in the room until the eruption of voices cut through the blankness of my mind, and shook me into reality.
“Charlotte, we have to go.” Zane’s voice broke through the barrier I unintentionally put up. I turned to him as he laid his hand on my shoulder.
“Who was that? She looked like she,” I cut myself short; thinking of what to say next, “Could kill me.” I looked up at him, and noticed that he was studying me again.
His hand glided to mine, never leaving my skin. His touch sent chills through my body. “Let’s go, I’ll tell you in the room.” He looked around the room as he gripped my hand. Everybody stepped aside, as he lead me to the door. Their glares were like daggers; they looked at me with such hatred. But I didn’t understand why. I heard whispers in a language that I didn’t recognise as we passed the open doors, into the hallway.
I didn’t understand any of this.
♦
I sat cross legged across from him, studying his face as he leaned against the headboard of the bed. His eyes were shut and for the first time since we left the Council meeting, he looked peaceful. Undoubtedly out of habit, he breathed slowly. Seeing him so calm was really nice. I could almost forget the night he changed me. I closed my eyes, and then opened them to see Zane gazing back at me. “Like what you see or something?” He grinned as he spoke.
I could feel my face heat up. “I— I’m sorry.” My eyes snapped down, so I was looking at my hands.
“It’s alright, Charlotte.” He said as he readjusted himself. “Hey, come here.” I looked up to see him lying on his side, patting the space beside him. And without realizing it, I laid down beside him.
He propped himself up with his arm and looked down at me. “The sun will be up soon, aren’t you tired?”
I hadn’t realized vampires actually slept. Blocking a yawn, I glanced at him. “No. Should I be?”
He laughed like I said something amusing. “Well, generally, everyone sleeps at night. Our night time is everyone else’s night time; we`re nocturnal creatures. I thought you would have known that.”
“I did. I do. I just thought vampires weren’t real before. I’m still finding this hard to believe.” I was almost stumbling over my words as I started shivering, noticing the cold air. He got up, walking away from the bed when he saw me trembling. “Where are you going?”
“I’m just closing the window, sweetheart.” My stomach fluttered when he spoke. “It’s cold in the mornings here. I’d forgotten that newborns were more sensitive to temperature.” He ran into the other room of our suite, and I heard what must have been the window squeaking shut.
Not even seconds later he was back in bed beside me, holding his arms out to me. When I inched toward him, he closed his arms around me. He loosened his grip and let me roll over to face him. “I know this is all scary and new to you right now. But I promise that I will make things easier. You just have to trust me.”
All I could do was nod. What just happened? Aren’t I supposed to be afraid of these creatures? But… What am I thinking? I am one of these creatures. I looked up to see that he was already asleep. And before I could think anymore, my mind was clouded with slumber.
We awoke to what sounded like fists banging on our door. Zane sat up as he yelled, “What is it?” But before he finished, a man stormed into the room.
“You two have to leave. Now.” His urgency startled us both. “Well, hurry up!”
“David, I know you don’t approve of a newborn, but really?” Zane’s hand touched my shoulder lightly, as he stood.
“I’m not here because of her.” His voice seemed twisted when he mentioned me. “Hunters are attacking. They’ve almost made it through the East Wall. Word got out about your little adventure, and if they see her, they’ll kill us all.”