Timed

Deep within France's wine country, there was a cottage that Ace had spotted from a mile away.

“It's getting close to 7; I can tell by the sun in the sky,” Ace whispered, pointing at the setting sun in the sky.

“How can you tell?” I asked.

“By the way the sun orbits the earth; trust me, I've been living a lot longer than you, so I know. And I taught myself how to do it,” he said.

We walked inside; it was cluttered with newspapers, and plain white sheets had covered each piece of furniture that was in the room.

“Is that what the council is?” I asked.

“Hm?” He had shot me a slightly confused gaze.

“Is the council the Immortalis?” I asked.

“Yes,” he answered with a sigh.

“They have been spending nearly over 100 years searching for the last two members to join them, so they can take over and overthrow every governor, president and royal families that rule every country in the world.”

“And they manage to do that by trying to kill every supposed werewolf, vampire and gargoyle they can find and set them on a timer to sacrifice a human boy or girl they find. And if they don't, they just die?” I questioned.

He nodded his head.

“We probably shouldn't speak too loud, you never know who could be listening,” he quietly spoke to me.

“Right,” I had whispered to him.

He wrapped me up in a coat that I didn't know he was wearing at first. It was the nicest silk a person could find; it looked as if he bought it from a black market.

“It was my Mum's,” he spoke, and embraced me.

“It's beautiful,” I spoke.

“Like you,” he spoke after.

We were closer than ever, and the magnetic charge that had been created before when we first met was back.

“I don't know what else to say,” I spoke.

“Don't speak at all, then, let the silence speak for us, and together we will come closer into each other.” He spoke softly, and nuzzled my face with his nose.

There wasn't anyway that I had liked him, but there was something there. I refused to fall for him, and I couldn't, at least not until my prophecy was complete.

We inch closer, the intense feelings arose within, and our lips part and make way for each other. Not knowing what would come next, we touch. It was intense. The power electrifying us, and as we remain for a little longer, an intense feeling is pushed from my legs up into my stomach. It was the feeling of love. Love, I let it echo through my mind, and let it remain until our lips depart from each other.

“You're interesting,” I speak a second after.

“More like you are,” he ran his fingers on through my hair.

“Tell me something,” I said.

He stops for a moment, and gazes down at me.

“What would you like to know?” He asked.

“Feelings,” I said.

“What about them?” He asked.

“Do you have them?” I question.

“No, not like that, at least, I see you as nothing more than a person of faith, love, compassion, and toughness.” He gazed down at me again.

“That kiss, though?” I asked.

“It meant more to me than you, that's for sure,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Why don't you take a hint,” he spoke, and sighed.

“I don't understand,” I said. “What do you mean? Do you have a girlfriend, did she break up with you?”

“Okay, you clearly don't understand,” he sighed, “I had a lovely girl—she was exactly like you—those perfect violet eyes, but yours are green, and that perfect bronze hair, but yours is more of an auburn.”

“She was like me?” I echoed what he said.

“Yes, in many ways, but another difference was that she wasn't like the normal society America has. She was an Amish girl.”

“I'm sorry,” I spat out.

“No need,” he spoke, his head facing the ground, “it was clearly my fault for bringing it up.”

“No need to say that, either.” I sat down on the covered sofa, my hand caressing his. “It was my fault for not knowing,”

“No, unless you want to continue going on with this, then go ahead, but I'm going to retreat to my room now, yours is next door to me.”

“Okay,” I croaked.

He walked off then. He had shut the door behind him. It was now close to nine o'clock. I couldn't believe we were talking for that long, I also couldn't believe that I was that stubborn to continue going on like that.

We did not speak. It was uncomfortable having to sit beside him eating breakfast.

I did not want to be the first, afraid something might result in a fight.

“Ace,” a voice rang from the front door.

“Come in, Eustace.” He rang. He didn't dare gaze at me; neither of them did.

He was head to toe in clothing that triggered he was going to go out for a hunt. In his right hand was a backpack filled with items that were needed for hunting, and in his left was a wine bottle. In the small, fine print, it read the date. 1553-12-04.

It tasted best when it was aged out.

“Take the girl, the Elder is still thinking of a deal, don't worry about that, we are heading out at noon to track down Miles' mysterious death.” Eustace spoke.

Ace got up, and pushed his chair in. “Come,” he tapped on my shoulder.

I got up, and walked to my room. I looked towards the small window beneath my bed; a spider web had been made in the small corner of my window.

“You okay?” I heard a voice from behind.

A body had walked over and sat on my unmade bed.

“Eustace,” I croaked.

“Are you okay?” He asked again.

“No, not really.” I spoke.

“Tell Eustace what the problem is.”

I didn't speak, nor did I laugh at his sarcasm.

“Let me guess, it was the whole he fell for you because he knew a girl that was like you,”

“Yes, I did,” Ace had spoken.

He looked slightly mad.

“But I insist I did not fall for her.” He said, his voice was tense.

“Of course,” Eustace spoke. “Let me let you in on a little secret.”

“What secret?” Ace and I said at the same time.

“Well,” he cleared his voice. “There is one person in this room that knows about Miles, and I know what the Elder is deciding on as a deal to you both.”

“Ace,” I spoke.

“Yes,” Eustace spoke.

“I do know. Bits and pieces is all.” He spoke.

“What do you know?” Eustace asked before I could say anything.

“He was inside of this cottage; this is where it all went down—there is a cellar somewhere though, that leads to the Council's house.”

“Where is it?” I asked.

He glanced at me, and smiled. “I'm not sure, but, I know a few more people that would know.”

He grabbed my hand tightly, and I could feel an adrenaline rush go right through me.

We headed for the door, and went outside. I had dressed myself in dark combat boots, a small white tank top, and camouflage pants.

Ace and Eustace had walked a few steps behind me.

“Turn left up ahead,” Ace shouted towards me.

I turned left, and continued walking straight. Everything was even clearer from here; small homes had decorated the countryside like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

“First home on your right,” Ace had caught up with me while saying.

Eustace was dragging himself along, and admiring the landscape on most of the homes and villas.

We had approached the home. There was no one on the outside of the homes.

“Knock, knock,” Eustace had chuckled while knocking.

The door had creaked open. On the inside was an old man and woman sitting down. The old man was sitting on a recliner, enjoying a nice cup of tea with a croissant, and the old woman was busy knitting a long quilt that was made of white fabric with black stars being imprinted from the black thread that was placed on it.

“Christine,” Eustace spoke.

“Yes,” she had turned her head; glasses were hanging from the tip of her nose, and her fingertips lay firmly on the tip of the needle.

“Is Pierre around?” Eustace asked.

“Why yes, he is out in the back, grazing.”

“Thank you,” he bowed down to her.

We walked out into the back of the house, and had step foot onto a muddy trail that led to an open barn door.

“Talk about being raised in a barn, literally,” Eustace and Ace chuckled.

“Pierre,” Eustace called from the side of the barn as we began to walk the trail and circle the barn.

A tall man walked out of the barn, his hair was messy, and sweat had beat down from his head. His belt buckle was loose, and he fought to get it tightened again. A girl, of about seventeen, gazed at us, her hair also a mess, and her clothes torn apart, and a blanket wrapped around, and ran quickly into the cornfield.

“Did we disturb something?” Eustace asked.

“No, it's fine, it was our one year today, and we thought, you know, why not give it a shot,” he winked at me to give me a hint.

I inched myself behind Ace, a little creeped out by him.

“You know anything at all about Miles?” Eustace asked.

Pierre looked, his chin flexing. “I do, but who's asking?” His accent was quite thick.

“Council, Ivory, and certain people that want to know.” Eustace said.

“Alright,” he tilted his head. “It's going to cost you, though.”

Pierre moved his head back to normal, and he walked back to the side of the barn. He bent down, his feet cracking nearby sticks, he picked up a piece of shed and placed to the side. We glanced, there was a window.

“A window?” I ask.

They all gaze at me, their eyes scanning me and wondering if I was that dumb to realize.

“The window is where Miles is; I just can't let let you guys see him,” Pierre said.

“You mean, behind that window, that's where his corpse is laying?” Ace asked.

Pierre nods his head.

“How do we get down there?” Eustace asked.

“That, I won't tell you,” Pierre said.

A second later, a bang had rung inside of our ears. Pierre fell to the ground, a shovel with some blood was planted in my hands. His body shifts from side to side, increasing the worry in all of us. His eyes are dilated and his back began to bend back, and his legs rose from his sides.

“Ivory,” Ace choked. “Run.”

“Why?” I asked.

“You will know in two seconds—don't look at me, just go!” Ace shouted.

I sprinted through the same path the girl from before had used.

Each stalk had blocked my way, causing the run to become even more difficult.

An unknown being ran through; each stalk bending like a tornado was pulling them from their roots.

Ivory, a voice had called from behind.

The force of feet were beginning to catch up. I had no choice but to climb a tree that was closest to me.

I gazed, and saw a nearby tree just two feet from me; I picked up the pace and had made it. My arms reached for the lowest branch, and I began to climb higher. Faster my body went, and higher my feet went. I stopped at the fifth branch, and looked out onto the massive cornfield; it had enveloped itself around the whole backyard of both country homes. The bright sun shining on the cornstalks.

Pierre had made it out. He collapsed then.

His body lay in a bloody mess; his eyes avert to the tree, and they close slowly.

“Ace!” I shriek.

“Come down,” Ace called from the ground.

By the time I made it down, Ace and Eustace were already exterminating the body and walking away from the scene.

“Nice one, Ivory,” Eustace said.

“Thank you?” I questioned.

“No, it wasn't bad, it was good. If someone doesn't tell us something, we threaten until they spill the beans, and if nothing comes out, they are dead.”

“But, next time, threaten first before kill.” Ace said.

“Okay,” I said.

We made way for the road, our minds were still set on the window, and how we could get in.

No method was good enough, we had pieced together every thought, but nothing had made sense or could work.

“That thing,” I said.

“What thing?” Ace asked.

“That cellar,” I said, I blocked his way from walking any further. “I remember you saying something.”

“It was somewhere in the cottage,” Ace said.

“Where though?” I asked.

“I don't know, I can't remember.” Ace said.

“Like Ace said, he remembers bits and pieces,” Eustace said.

I walked off then, my feet pounding.

“What's wrong now?” Ace asked.

“Nothing, I just didn't know it was going to be this difficult.” I said.

We'd made way back to the cottage. It was dark, and no lights were on, except for the stars.

The door flew open as we sat on the covered couch.

“What was that?” I asked.

“I know now,” Ace said.