Cassie Caye Gibson

     Blood To Save

Secrets told generation after generation contain pockets of truth. Muddied over centuries, some secrets are retold with vague manipulations to veil their true intentions. Unless written and protected, these secrets can become a weapon in the wrong hands. In time, some will uncover the truth and stop at nothing to set it right.

***

Bridgette

               “Oh… my… heck… how can such a small thing be so dang heavy?!” Bri huffed as she hauled the box into the storage room. A new shipment arrived, and each box felt like a workout from hell.

“Oh, my dear Bri, maybe if you did more than read romance and daydream, you wouldn’t act like you’re dying, ” her sister Freya said with a grin, setting her box down gently.

Bridgette was the oldest of three sisters, Freya was the middle, and Ariana was the youngest. They ran a small holistic med shop and Health and, using their talents, were very successful together.

All three were born and raised as practicing witches, and as demand for their homemade products increased, the idea for a storefront blossomed into reality. They were a small coven of four. Their mom, Marla, had broken off from a much larger coven somewhere in Europe to make it here in America. They learned the practices of earth coven rites from their mom, who learned from the generations before her.

Earth coven rites involved magical energy, asked for respectfully from Mother Earth. The Mother could then choose to transfer the natural death of any living thing into power the witches could utilize. She usually gave those who asked, what they desired, but sometimes Mother Earth could be a real “witch,” forcing them try another day. This power, or magic as Freya liked to call it, was used to make the products they sold. It enhanced the natural properties, and when it actually worked for people they were always astonished and came back for more.

“You know, Bri, Freya has a point. If you did a bit more cardio in your day-to-day, this wouldn’t be an issue,” Ari said with her factual flair. Her youngest sister was always blunt and to the point. For some reason, it never came off as rude, just… matter-of-fact.

“Well, I may not do the whole cardio thing,” Bri sighed. “But I love my books, romance, and daydreams. It gives me a break from my busy life and sweeps me into a world of adventure.” She set the box next to their growing pile and took a deep breath. “And I don’t see you helping out Ari,” she said.

Ari looked over her shoulder from her computer and gave a sly grin. “Someone has to load everything into the computer, and with your brain in the clouds, I don’t trust you to do it.” Bri stuck out her tongue and proceeded to spit in her general direction. Ari squeaked and threw herself over the computer. She glared at Bri, which made her laugh.

As Freya set down another box, Bri pulled on her arm like a desperate child, “Are we officially done with the torture?”

Freya laughed gripping Bris cheeks, “Yes, we are done unloading the boxes from the truck, but they need to be out on the shelves to sell.”

Bri did a little dance and skipped out to the front of the store. Bri loved to create beauty and comfort for people around her, so the storefront was her happy place. She skipped to the front shelf, adding the cute little jar of poultice to it. She looked around to see what else needed restocking.

The store had a boho-chic vibe that felt simple, clean, and welcoming. The large windows in front faced the beautiful hills of her quaint little town. She sighed, so content in that moment, she didn’t notice the person standing on the other side of the window. She gave a small shriek and jumped back. Her mom jumped as well, head whipping side to side.

As Marla walked in, she scolded Bri, “What in the world, Bridgette! You scared me half to death! You made me think someone was about to attack me!” Bri inherited her dramatics from her mom, along with her dark locks and brilliant smile.

She giggled, a little shaken by her mom’s sudden entrance. “Hey mom, love you too. What are you doing here today? I thought you were working on a poultice for the rest of the afternoon.”

Marla grimaced, “I just wanted to see my amazing girls, that’s all.”

Bri wasn’t buying it; her mom had a face she made when trying to hide her true feelings, and she was making it now. “Ya…sure, okay, mom. Freya and Ari are in the back doing stuff I can’t, apparently,” she said with a dramatic eye roll.

They walked the few steps to the back, and Ari looked up from her screen, “What’s wrong? You’re making The Face.”

               Marla sighed, “I don’t know how you girls read me so well, but sometimes it’s such a pain in the butt.”

 All three of her girls smiled grimly but looked intently at their mom when she spoke. “I don’t want to scare you, but…. the BloodCovenis making noise, and it doesn’t sound good. Their future leader slaughtered nine of their own. Nobody knows where he went, and before he left, he stole a precious artifact that helps replenish their coven’s power.”

Shaking her head, she continued, “Not that I want them to have any more power than they do; it’s all very concerning. They don’t know exactly what happened or where he is now. I wanted to warn you; if you see something suspicious, be aware and let me know.”

               The girls looked at each other with surprise. Generally, they didn’t talk about the Blood Coven. The barbaric way they used blood sacrifices to demand power from the earth was sacrilege. The larger the sacrifice, the more power they obtained. Bri couldn’t fathom what kind of power the sacrifices of nine innocent people would be used for.

               With a shiver, she walked up to her mom and threw her arm around her 5-foot frame. “I promise, if there is anything that feels wrong or some creep walks into the store, we will shoot you a message, right, girls?”

“Absolutely, of course,” they answered.

“Thank you so much, girls, that means the world to me! You three are all I have, and I would be devastated if anything happened to you. Although, if a man came into the store and he didn’t give off creeper vibes, maybe you could just… flirt with him instead?” Marla gave Bri the side eye.

All three girls groaned. “Mom, we love you, but we have other priorities at the moment.” Ari stated.

“We just started getting our business to the point of stability. We can finally hire a part-time employee. Maybe, some point soon, we can look for our prince charming, okay?” Freya said, leaving to haul another box inside.

Although her mom had good intentions, Bri felt the pressure of having a family. Being the oldest at 29, she dreamed of having a big, strong man who would care for her and adorable little babies to chase. She just didn’t have very good luck in the men department. She had had her fair share of fun with make-out buddies, but nobody to take home to her parents.

Her parents. They were inseparable before her dad suddenly passed away three years prior. She was convinced her mom was going to go with him. Thankfully, she pulled through and busied herself by making quite a few of the products sold at the shop. 

“Fine, I will drop it… for now,” her mom said, with a wave, walking out the front door.

The ten-minute walk home that night was tense with the sisters. Each of them lost to their own concerned thoughts about the Blood Coven. Did the man have a motive, or was he legitimately just…crazy? I mean, what else could it be? thought Bri. What did he need nine lives’ worth of magic for? How did he just disappear?

Their English-style cottage appeared in the distance, and Bri was able to take her first full breath. The budding wisteria they passed under the front gate arch reminded her that spring was on the horizon. She loved her home and the peace that awaited her inside. 

When she made it to her room, Bri felt exhausted. Looking in her full-length mirror, she scrutinized herself, taking in her tired green eyes and strong jaw with full lips. She fluffed her waist-length, dark hair and thought, I think I look decent enough to catch someone’s eye. Maybe I’ll keep my eye open not only for suspicious activity but also for a potential hottie to make my own.

***

The next morning, the three women walked into the shop, and Bri flipped the sign to open. It was a slow morning, but by noon, there were the regulars who stopped by.

Bri greeted them all as if they were family. “Mrs. Jenkins I’m so happy to see you! Did the poultice help your back?”

 “Mr. Hilde, how are you feeling after that nasty cold? I hope those compresses helped.”

“Mrs. O’Neal, how are the kids? Did they like the bath bombs I sent you?” Bri felt a sense of purpose in helping people. She loved to hear their stories, pains, likes, and dislikes. Although she would do it for free, she found pure joy when people came and thanked her for her help.

Mrs. Fletcher, the sassy older woman Bri absolutely adored, came up and laid a hand on her arm, “Don’t look now honey, but there is an absolute hunk of a man who’s eyeing you like a piece of candy.”

Bri slyly looked to her left, and there he was—the absolute hunk of a man with dark brown hair and just as dark, intense eyes. He wore jeans and a white polo—simple, understated, but still very sexy. It looked like he had on a kind of backpack, but as Bri took a closer look, a little blonde head wiggled back and forth.

Bri’s heart sank a little; why did the first interesting man who walked in have to be taken? She thought to herself bitterly. She put on her big, fake smile, walked over to the man, and introduced herself.

 “Hi, my name’s Bri. My sisters and I are co-owners of this shop. Do you need any help with anything in particular? Maybe for your baby?”

The man blushed and gave her a small smile. “Actually, she’s my niece. I just watch her a lot for her mom,” he said.

“Oh,” Bri perked up, “Then what can I help you with today?”

He pointed to his shoulder, “I need a cream, for bruising. I uh, took a tumble a few days ago and it’s really starting to rub wrong with the baby carrier,”

“I’m sorry to hear that, I have just the thing; let me show you,” Bri happily replied, leading him to a small shelf. She pointed to a jar of yellow colored poultice.

 “Put this on twice a day and the bruising should be gone in a few days.”

His hands lightly brushed hers as he gripped the jar, and Bri’s stomach made a little flip. “Thank you so much; I hope it helps as much as you say it does,” he said.

“Of course, Mr.…. oh, I didn’t get your name,” Bri said sheepishly.

“Oh, ya, it’s Fallon,” he said, smiling, “and yours was Bri, right?”

“Yup that’s me, so if you need help again just remember the name,” Bri said.

He gave her a little wink and said, “I will, thanks again.”

Freya came up and bumped Bri on the hip with hers. “What did Mr. McHottie want?” she asked.

Bri gave her sister the side eye, butterflies in her stomach, and answered, “Just something for bruising. And was he beautiful? I didn’t notice.”

Freya laughed, “Didn’t exactly say it like that, but okay.”

Bri walked away to restock the bruising cream, daydreaming about this new hunk of a man. Fallon. What an interesting name. Hopefully, she would get to see Fallon again.

***

About a week later, Bri had not seen Fallon since that day in the shop. Did she dream about him occasionally? Yes. But what was a girl to do with the picture of perfection? 

She was walking into work a bit late when she heard a baby crying. Not just crying, but screaming like they had a vendetta against eardrums. At the same time, she heard a man trying to soothe the child without much success.

She looked over her shoulder, and there was Fallon across the road. Hair disheveled, shirt rumpled, and joggers on. Bouncing up and down with his niece in his arms, he looked like the walking dead compared to his earlier appearance, but he was still ridiculously attractive. His bloodshot eyes caught hers, and she could see the desperation of a man at his wits’ end.

She hustled over to him. “Did you pinch her or something?”

He stared blankly at her, “I don’t even know how I got here, and I don’t know what to do. She hasn’t slept and has been crying like this for four days now. I have tried everything I can think of to calm her down, but I can’t figure out what’s wrong.”

Bri looked at the screaming child in his arms and reached towards the baby, “Can I please see her? I love kids, and my mom says I have a ‘magic touch’.”

Hesitantly, Fallon handed her over to Bri and she started to bounce, “Hello, little one. Let’s see if we can figure out what’s wrong.”

Bri walked inside with the upset baby and rocked her back and forth. As she tried to soothe her, Bri assessed the cute, tiny girl. “Did you see any diaper rash or rash of any kind on her body?” asked Bri.

“Not that I noticed,” Fallon said rubbing his eyes.

“What about a fever? Did you check for one before you came here?” she said pressing the back of her hand to her forehead.

“She had a slight rise in temperature of about 99.5, but nothing too high,” Fallon said, defeated.

Bri looked at the baby again, and as she kept screaming, Bri noticed a tiny bump inside her mouth on her bottom gums.

“I think I see what the issue is,” she said as she bounced her way to a counter lined with jars.

“Really?! That was fast,” replied Fallon with a look of pure hope.

“Here, my sweet girl,” said Bri as she applied an ointment to the babies’ gums. “This poor sister is teething something fierce, and she is not enjoying it.”

Almost immediately, the baby girl stopped crying and snuggled into Bri’s shoulder. The walk to the back room was all it took for the child to fall fast asleep.

“You are a life saver, I just wish I had thought of it sooner,” Fallon admitted as he sank into a chair. He looked like he was about to fall asleep right then and there.

“How about you nap for a bit, as I get my snuggle on with this sweetie pie,” Bri said, gently squeezing the bundle in her arms.

“No, no, I will just sit for a minute while you hold her,” he said, closing his eyes.

Not two minutes later, he was asleep, and Bri took full advantage of the moment to appreciate the man’s features. He had a prominent jaw, and when he slept, you could see the softest laugh lines around his eyes.

Bri loved his eyes the most; she always believed laugh lines exuded a sense of joy. I wonder where he’s from, she thought.

Bri thought she knew most people who lived around the area, but maybe they recently moved. With him asleep, she couldn’t ask her question, so she brushed it aside.

What an amazing uncle to care for his niece this much. Looking down at the babe, she wondered, the mom must work a lot for him to look so ragged. He must be in an in-home nanny-type situation.

Bris’ sisters interrupted her thoughts as they both walked in, giving her a look of confusion.

 “It was a bad teething day, and he was on the struggle bus when he got here.” Bri whispered. “I’m going to give him about 30 minutes to get his energy back, but look at the cutest baby you’ve ever seen.”

Her sisters oohed and aahed over the sleeping girl, but eventually got to work. After the 30 minutes were up, she woke Fallon with a gentle tap on the shoulder. He immediately jumped to his feet and crowded Bri into a shelf. “Where is she? What have you done with her?” he snarled.

A little more than irritated, Bri answered, “No need to freak out, Fallon, she’s still right here in my arms if you would use your eyeballs.”

He looked down and found the baby squished against her chest, still asleep. Not saying a word, he plucked the baby from her arms and took a few steps back.

Well dang, thought Bri, that was a bit intense, but okay.

“Well… I hope you had a decent nap. What was her name again?” Bri asked, eyebrows raised.

Fallon eyed her again and answered flatly, “Lyla.”

“Oh my gosh, I adore that name. Hopefully your sister wouldn’t mind if I stole it,” Bri gushed.

Fallon gave her a look she couldn’t quite place, said thank you, and walked out the door.

“Um, your welcome?” Bri said, tilting her head.

What in the world was that? He was so chill, then turned crazy uncle. Well, I guess sleep deprivation would do that to you, she thought. Still a little confused and a tad irritated, she got to work for the day.

***

A few days later, Bri worked hard to sell a stubborn old man an arthritis ointment he desperately needed.

Being a witch came in handy in situations like this. She could get a vague sense of people and their physical problems, then provide a solution. Convincing them to purchase what they needed was another story, but Bri had other “powers” of persuasion at her disposal.

“Well, Mr. Murray, I understand you love golf,” she started.

Mr. Murray answered with a gruff sigh, “Yes, what does that have to do with some cream you’re selling me?”

“I understand you go golfing with a group of buddies on Thursdays, right?” she said sweetly.

“Alright missy, what does my golf game have to do with your silly jar of crap?” he huffed.

With a cunning smile, Bri answered, “Mr. Murray, if I can guarantee your golf game will put those old fogeys to shame, would you be willing to sample the cream?”

Mr. Murray slowly smiled at Bri, and with a small chuckle, he answered, “Oh little Bri, you got me good. I will sample some of your dang cream.”

 With a hop in her step, she ushered Mr. Murray to the counter to check out when the door dinged.

 “Welcome to Hearth and Health! I’ll be with you in a moment!” she yelled over the computer.

She checked out Mr. Murray, letting him know he wouldn’t regret it, then turned her attention to the new customer and froze. Fallon stood there, Lyla strapped to his back. He gave her an awkward one-handed wave.

He walked up to her sheepishly, “I just wanted to thank you for the other day, and I apologize for overreacting. I also may have forgotten to purchase a jar of the miracle paste you gave Lyla. She started getting fussy this morning, and I figured it was still her tooth,” he said hastily.

Bri nodded, “You ran out of here pretty quickly after you almost jumped me, but it’s fine. I have the paste right here.”

She walked over, picked up the jar, and handed it to him.

“Again, I’m so sorry, I guess I’m a little overprotective,” he apologized, paying for the paste. “I would like to make it up to you a bit more… if you would let me?”

Bri thought about it for a moment. What would it hurt to make him grovel a little more? “Sure, what do you have in mind?”

His face brightened, and he answered, “Maybe we can go for a walk with hot chocolate to just talk. I’ve heard Socco Falls is a pretty and simple trail.”

Trying not to seem too giddy, she shrugged, “Okay that sounds fun, and maybe I could learn a little more about you.”

“Great, can I pick you up at one tomorrow?” asked Fallon.

“Sounds great, my house is just ten minutes down the dirt road behind the store. It’s the cottage with a large arch in front,” Bri answered turning back to her computer.

“See you tomorrow then,” he said walking out the front door.

Fallon

Fallon was furious with himself as he paced back and forth in his tiny apartment. What am I thinking? This family of witches is supposed to be my cover. I shouldn’t have asked out Bri, Lyla is my priority. Her safety comes before anything else.

 When he sought help his feet led him to Bri out of desperation. The energy he obtained from… he didn’t want to think about it, was quickly depleting. The more upset Lyla became, the harder it was to keep her hidden.

So why can’t I get Bri out of my head? She had such a beautiful, kind face with a heart of gold to match. Her aura was intoxicating with peace and life. She drew him in like a spring flower to the first rays of sunshine. When I am near her, she puts me at ease. I’ve been alone and wary for so long that I forgot what it feels like to receive kindness. A dangerous idea slithered into his mind. Maybe I could find another way to ensure Lyla’s protection. There may be a day when I won’t have enough power to save her; what then?

Forming a new plan, Fallon decided to keep his date with Bri. He needed help, and maybe she was the one to give it.

***

Bridgette

Saturday couldn’t come fast enough. The nerves were high, and Bri went through every outfit she owned. She even went to the extent of rifling through her sisters’ things, to their dismay, when Ari took charge. “Bri, stop it right now. You are flipping out for no reason. You could wear a paper sack and still look amazing.”

Bri knew she was pretty, but having sisters who were model-worthy sometimes made her a tad self-conscious. “I just really want to make a good impression, Ari. I haven’t been on a date in…. well, let’s just say a while, and I want it to go well.”

Ari looked at her with a discerning smile, “Bri, you are the kindest, smartest, most talented person I know. If a guy can’t see you are worth more than just your looks, then he isn’t worth your time.”

 Freya walked in and jumped onto Bri’s bed, causing the giant pile of clothes to tumble to the floor.

Bri rolled her eyes when Freya said, “Ari’s right, I can’t believe you are freaking out over some guy you barely know. I mean, he is super hot, but that’s all we really know about him. So, let’s not get hung up on him until you know more about him. He could be a serial killer for all we know.” She waved her arms dramatically.

Bri laughed, “I doubt a killer would have a baby constantly strapped to his back Freya.”

“You never know the weirdos out there, Bri, you never know,” Freya said with a sarcastically serious face. Bri threw a pillow at her face, and all three of them fell into a fit of giggles.

 ***

She quickly pulled her boots over her light-wash jeans and stood in front of her large mirror, admiring her boho vibe with her large earrings. Her overly large sweater completed the look when she heard a knock at the door.

Rushing down the stairs, she found her mom holding open the door, and Fallon took a few steps forward. He still had the pack on his back, and Bri wondered if they would have a third wheel on their hike.

 Fallon handed her a steaming hot chocolate, eyes wide, and said, “Wow, Bri, you look amazing.”

My sisters are awesome, Bri thought, and said, “Thanks, I just threw it on.”

Her mom snorted in the background, and Bri coughed to cover it up. “Are we having a little tag-along today?” she asked, playing with the baby’s hair.

“Unfortunately, her mom isn’t able to be home today, so she is my buddy again,” Fallon shrugged.

 “Oh, this little miss and I are going to have the best day together, aren’t we, sweetheart?” said Marla as she unstrapped the little girl from his back.

“Oh, I don’t want to impose,” said Fallon, shifting foot to foot.

“Don’t you worry about a thing sir. I raised three of the best girls in the world, so I know what I’m doing. You guys go on your little walk and we will see you in a few hours,” Marla said with a dismissing them with a wave of her hand.

Bri looked at Fallon and shrugged, “She won’t budge, so we might as well leave.” Fallon looked uncertain, but gave in opening the front door for Bri.

The walk to the trailhead took about ten minutes and began with awkward silence. To kill the quiet tension, Bri asked, “So, how long have you lived here? I haven’t seen you until recently, and I think I would have noticed you.”

“Oh really, you were checking me out, were you?” asked Fallon with a grin.

Bri blushed and walked a little faster, “Well, yeah, I guess I just know a lot of people; it’s my thing.”

“We haven’t been here long,” Fallon said, keeping pace with his long legs, “What about you, have you lived here your whole life?”

Bri nodded, glancing at his beautiful face, “Yup, my whole life. I was born in the cottage we just came from. It’s such a special place with amazing people.” Bri hesitated, and surprised herself saying, “But I do wish I had the opportunity to visit other places. See the world, make connections with people from different cities and cultures.”

“Unfortunately, my sisters and I put all our savings into opening our own shop. It just started producing more this year, which is exciting,” she sighed, “maybe someday soon I can make my travel dreams a reality,” Bri mused.

They spotted the signpost for the beginning of the trailhead.

 Fallon, turning onto the trailhead, said, “I have traveled, not extensively as you want to, but enough to know there are too many horrible people to want to really know any more of them.”

 “This town is probably the first place I have found that I don’t hate,” Fallon admitted quietly, scowling at the ground.

“Well, that is probably one of the most depressing things I have ever heard,” Bri blurted.

Fallon s head jerked with a laugh, “I didn’t have the happiest upbringing, and every person introduced to me, only wanted something from me.”

“Again, so sad, I don’t even know what else to say except I’m going to have to prove you wrong,” Bri said with an exaggerated frown.

“I may have to take you up on that. Lyla deserves to know the happier side of life,” Fallon said, smiling.

Bri looked at him seriously and whispered, “So do you.”

 As they made their way to the falls, they fell into a comfortable conversation of general likes and dislikes. When they reached their destination, they listened to the falls for a minute, soaking in the peace of the moment.

She loved it here in nature, among the energy ready to fuel her magic at any moment. She took a deep breath and sighed.

She looked to her right and realized Fallon was watching her intently. “You love it out here, don’t you?”

Bri blushed, “Absolutely! I love feeling the energy of the earth and just… living in this moment with nothing to stress me out.”

He stepped toward her, and she felt the butterflies take flight. Wow, this man affected her so much. She didn’t know what to do with all this intense emotion. She barely knew the man, as Freya pointed out earlier. But Bri had a good sense of people’s auras, and his melted with hers like butter on biscuits. He took a hesitant step toward her and reached for her hand. She let him take it, and he led her closer to the falls.

As they stepped closer to take in the magic of the falls, Fallon let go of her hand and started undoing his laces.

“Umm, what are you doing? I hope it’s not to soak your feet, it’s still ice cold!” Bri cried.

“That… is exactly what I’m doing. I haven’t done it since I was a kid and why not now?” Fallon said with a cheeky grin.

Not to be outdone, Bri sat next to him and pulled her boots down. “We’re going to get pneumonia, but let’s do this!”

 “Are you ready for this?” Fallon asked as he prepared to step into the colder-than-crap water.

“Born ready, and if I freeze, you’re carrying me home.” Bri said brushing dirt from her pants.

They both stepped into the freezing water, and Bri gasped, “Holy crap balls!! That is even colder than I imagined. I can’t feel my feet anymore, and we just stepped in!” Bri said, teeth starting to chatter.

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Fallon said, “Although, I can’t feel my feet either,” he laughed.

Quickly retreating from the water, they pulled on their shoes when Bri checked her phone and saw a message.

“Bri, something… interesting is happening, and I think you and Fallon need to come back. Hope you’re having fun, Mom.

Crap on a stick-that was 30 minutes ago! Bri looked at Fallon with concern and showed him the message. His face turned to stone as he read. He grabbed her hand, and they raced back to her home. When they got inside, her mom was sitting in the front room.

Bri and Fallon looked around for anything unusual, but there was nothing.

“Mom, what is so concerning that we needed to come back?” Bri huffed out of breath.

Marla stood and came to stand in front of Fallon. With serious calm, Marla said, “Fallon, I am going to ask you a question and I need you to answer me truthfully….”

Fallon nodded with a straight face.

“Are you a warlock?”

 Bri whipped to her mom with shock. They never discussed their witchiness with anyone unless they were sworn to secrecy.

She turned to Fallon, who looked at her in turn and answered, “Yes, I am.”

Marla nodded, “And what is your family line? What coven do you associate with?”

Fallon

This was the question Fallon dreaded. If he told the truth, they could turn him in as a supposed murderer. Then who would help protect Lyla?

It was that moment he realized he needed to tell the truth for the safety of Lyla. When he was with Bri this afternoon, it was the first time he felt anything other than pain and loneliness. He thought he could make this work on his own, but these past few weeks proved him wrong.

Steadying himself, he answered, “I am Kieran Fallon O Fallamhain of the Blood Coven, and Lyla June O’Neal is my niece.”

The room was silent and tense for a few minutes. Finally, Marla broke the silence and asked, cautiously, “What, may I ask, are you doing here?”

Fallon understood the wariness. Not many people knew the truth and the history the Blood Coven kept hidden for centuries.

This information would place them in extreme danger, so he warned them of the risk before he explained. Marla took the lead because Bri looked like she was going into shock. She nodded her head to proceed.

“History says a thousand years ago, the supernatural community forced the shifters to leave earth and live in the Fae realm,” Fallon began.

“Their more violent tendencies worked better in the Fae realm, where they wouldn’t expose the supernatural community here. Fae, vampires, and witches allied to force the shifters out.”

 “This alliance hunted, captured, and forced the shifters through the Fae portal. This is where the story takes a turn,” Fallon braced himself. “There was one last shifter clan who refused to leave. After fighting for a while, everyone assumed they tired out and finally left. The true reason they left was kept a secret by the Blood Coven. They realized one of their own witches was in love with the leader of these shifters and became pregnant with his child. They kept her hidden until she gave birth,” he ran his fingers through his hair.

“They used the witch as leverage, telling the shifter he could have her back if they left. Forced to leave their child behind, they left with no other choice,” he sighed.

“The Blood coven kept the child, but never told him his origins.”

Fallon sat in a chair, exhausted, and continued with his unfathomable story. “Every hundred years, a child from that line would have profound power, and the Blood Coven would siphon and drain the child until all that was left was a husk of the person they were. They called these children shifter witches. My family isn’t of this powerful line, but unknowingly, my sister married the man who was.”

“She became pregnant with Lyla and when she was about 7 months along, she had a premonition that her child would be born with this same power.”

He paused, taking a deep breath, “She begged me to keep her safe and after she died during childbirth, I kept my promise,” he stated with determination.

Bridgette

Bri couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She looked at her mom and noticed her pensive stare.

Her thoughts still circling, she numbly watched her mom step closer to Fallon and lay a hand on his arm, “I don’t know what else to say except I believe you,”

She then hurried to the fireplace and picked up a wicker basket with a blanket and something furry inside.

 “This is why I called you home…. I believe this is your niece, Lyla?” she asked with a wink.

Fallon took the basket with shaking hands, a tiny black kitten curled up inside.

“I thought my magic could prevent hers from surfacing, but obviously it’s not enough,” he said, his voice faltering.

“I already made significant sacrifices to obtain enough magic to keep her hidden this long. We had to stop here so I could gain a little more energy and strength to make it to my next location,” he said, his head hung low. 

Bri’s eyes widened then, and she took a step back, “Okay wait, I am sorry you lost your sister, but are you the one they said killed nine people? They said you stole something too, was that… Lyla?” She asked staring at the kitten, her thoughts scattered. “That’s why you freaked out when I woke you,” she breathed.

Fallon just stared at her, eyes full of remorse. He killed people, but it was to save his niece.

Her thoughts were a confused mess. He killed nine people but it was to save his niece. She felt ready to faint as she leaned against the wall farthest away from him.

“Everything you said is true Bri. Unfortunately to gain enough magic I had to make sacrifices,” he said head bowing.

“Believe it or not, there are people in Blood Coven who want out but can’t find a way to leave. They suffer and are forced to make sacrifices at an early age.” His face went dark. “I was a leader of a group that tried to smuggle people out.”

“When my sister realized what she had growing inside her, she begged me to help her leave. But she went into labor early and died delivering Lyla,” he said, trembling.

“Nine people volunteered to sacrifice themselves to save this baby,” he said stroking Lyla’s soft kitten fur.

“The rumors the Blood Coven spread made it seem like cold-blooded murder, but I swear to you their deaths will live with me forever, and I will forever regret that I allowed them to give their lives,” he said, eyes drowning in guilt. “And as for what I ‘stole’,’ he said with vehemence, “They told everyone it was a precious artifact that gave the coven power.”

“Lyla is that precious thing, but she is a living human being who deserves a chance at life. Not to be a blood sacrifice living a half-life for power-hungry people,” he said, face reddening with anger.
               Bri, mind reeling, finally said, “I believe you Fallon, I just need time to think. It’s a lot.”

He nodded, shoulders sagging.

Marla, hands on hips said, “Well, Fallon, you seem to have put yourself in the middle of something you can’t handle alone. What is it you need help with? Our practices differ from yours in the obvious ways. Although we are not less powerful, I just don’t know what else we could do for you.”

Eyes sparkling Fallon said, “All I need are earth witches. I don’t know anything about the earth rituals but I think combined with the blood rituals I already performed, I should be able to dampen Lylas’ magic to make it to the next location.”

“That’s easy enough, but what is the next step?” Marla asked eyes narrowing.

Fallon hesitated, wringing his hands, “I think if I take her to the vampire realm, I should be able to find a way to bind her blood to make it so no one can use it against her.”

Silence followed. Finally, Bri whispered, “That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?

The vampires may have helped the witches a thousand years ago, but that’s because they needed us. You are going to need something to trade for their help,” Bri said with a little more force.

Lips pursed, Marla asked, “Yes, Fallon, have you really thought this through?” 

“It’s the only plan I can think of,” he said, hands raised. “The vampires know everything there is to know about blood, so they should have some type of record or something to help,” he said with finality.

               “Bri, go call your sisters and see how fast they can close up shop for the day,” Marla said, “We are going to need more help so we can pack this spell with a punch.”

Bridgette

Bri did as asked and called her sisters, gave very few details but urged them to come quickly.

About 30 minutes later, Freya and Ari walked through the door with a million and one questions. Marla and Fallon answered them as Bri held the fuzzy little kitten.

“Oh, Lyla,” she whispered, “I really started to like him. Why did it have to be so overly complicated?”

Lyla blinked at her with big golden eyes and yawned. Bri snuggled into her fur, and Lyla started purring. “Gosh dang, you are a cute little thing, aren’t you?”

After explaining all the details to her sisters, they hustled to set up the ritual. Fallon watched from his corner of the room with Lyla still in fur baby mode. The fascination on his face was comical. They did this all the time; at this point, it was a well-rehearsed dance.

Once they had all they needed, they headed outside to the giant willow tree. Under the tree was a cleared space perfect for performing rituals.

First, they cleansed the area with sage to chase away the bad juju, then set bowls of the four earthly elements—earth, water, wind, and fire—in a line. Then, to add a little umph, to the spell they placed a small piece of black tourmaline in each bowl. Forming a circle around the bowls, the women clasped hands and hummed.

The music poured from their souls, and as they felt the power build, they grew louder and started to chant.

“Mother, tell me of magic, of earth all around. Mother, hold all my tears in whispers abound. Mother, take all my fears on the winds of my soul. Mother, give me the fire to make me feel whole.”

Marla proceeded to speak,

“Mother, please, with respect, we ask you to share, for the beautiful child and her guard who gives care. Please, from the depths of our souls, gift us the magic to make this wish whole.”

There was silence, and a rush of pure magic and power filled them, making them feel alive. This is the best feeling, Bri thought as they all bowed their heads and gave thanks to Mother Earth. They felt the magic lock around Lyla, and she shifted back into her little blonde self.

“I am so grateful to all of you for your help. I never thought magic could feel like that…. untainted,” Fallon admitted, staring at the child in his arms.

“When Mother Earth is respected, the power that comes is pure because it’s unforced. And that adorable baby deserves love and kindness. Of course we would help you,” Marla huffed. “Now let’s go inside and eat! I am beat.”

Bri stayed behind as the other women grabbed Lyla and went inside.

Fallon came over and grasped her hand, “I am so sorry if you have felt betrayed or manipulated. I just did what I had to, to save Lyla.”

Bri squeezed his hand back and dropped it. “I really do understand Fallon. I just wish I could have been on a few dates with you before your family drama was dropped on me.”

Fallon chuckled sadly, “My family drama is dark and a lot to take in, but I promise I just wanted to spend time with you. I like you and would have loved to know you more.”

“I wanted to know you more too, Fallon. I wish we had more time and fewer complications,” Bri sighed, holding back tears.

Fallon brushed her hair behind her ear and nodded. As he slowly turned and walked inside emotions hunching his frame, Bri couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and silently cried until she was ready to walk inside.

Thank the stars Fallon had gone home to pack for the journey into the vampire realm.

She went upstairs to cry a little more. She heard her door creak open, and her sisters walked in, both snuggled up on either side of her to make a Bri sandwich.

After a few minutes of snuggle comfort, Ari asked, “Do you love him?”

Bri thought for a minute and whispered, “Honestly, I don’t know. I think I could have loved him if we had time. I see the way he looks at Lyla, and my heart melts. I’ve always felt I was a good judge of character, and his actions speak of his character. It all points to a good, decent person.” She paused, “I think we could have made each other happy.”

“Not to mention he really is stupid hot,” Freya oh so helpfully added. All three of them burst out laughing.

“The question is, Bri,” Freya began after they stopped giggling. “Would you be willing to face the unknown to figure out if it could be love? He still needs help; he still struggles with Lyla, and having you there would help with energy levels as well.”

“You could be his sidekick, and maybe it could morph into love… you never know. And if it’s not, then you had one hell of an adventure,” Ari added.

“Wait, so you’re saying I should go with him? What about the shop? What about mom?” Bri said, panic gripping her.

“We can hire Cathleen Rogers part time to help with the shop, and mom is just fine,” Ari said bluntly.

“And if you don’t go with him I will,” Freya added.

With tears in her eyes, Bri looked at her sisters and whispered, “Will you help me pack?”

***

Morning came quickly, and she tried to pack only the essentials. However, she needed a little more space and used magic leftovers from the night before to make her bag a small portal pocket. It could hold about a small cupboard’s worth of items, which would be good for the baby stuff, too. At least, that was the excuse she made to her sisters.

They just laughed at her antics. Pacing back and forth she wrung her hands, He better not fight me on this; we are now in the thick of it, whether he likes it or not. Ten minutes later, Fallon showed up with Lyla in his arms.

               He hugged Marla and her sisters first thanking them profusely. They waved him off as Marla grabbed the baby for one last snuggle, while Fallon, hands in pockets stood in front of Bri.

She looked up at the gorgeous man, waiting for him to say goodbye, but he surprised her, “So, are you ready to go on the adventure of a lifetime?”

She pointed to herself, “What are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere…”

He interrupted her, “Bri, you are the kindest, most giving person I’ve ever encountered. Do you really think I didn’t know you would want to come along and help?”

She shook her head with a laugh, “Okay fine. You caught me! You need me, and I can help you. I can be your second set of eyes.”

Fallon smiled, “You’re right, I do need help, especially with that one,” he pointed to Lyla, now in Freya’s arms.

“Dang straight, now let’s go before I change my mind,” said Bri, walking to her family.

               She hugged all her sisters goodbye, reining in her tears. But when she hugged her mom, the tears flowed, and she couldn’t stop them if she tried.

“Be careful, Bridgey boo. This road you are traveling is dangerous, but I know you can handle it,” her mom whispered, voice catching on her tears.

“Mom, I promise to come back and tell you all my adventures. We will be as safe as we can be. I love you so much!” Bri hiccupped, burying into her shoulder.

She peeled herself from her mom’s shoulder and checked on Fallon, who had already strapped Lyla in. She looked at her little family again and stepped out the door. Heart beating to an excited but fearful drum for the unknown.

***

“The vampire portal is in the Cataloochee ski area,” Fallon informed Bri as they drove.

Twitching in her seat she asked, “sounds good, but do you know how to open the portal?”

Fallon nodded, “I know the basics but have never had the chance to try it.”

Eyes closing from the emotional exhaustion, Bri said, “I guess we will see when we get there, then.”

They drove in easy silence, and anxiety started to creep in when they reached the ski area. “I don’t know why, but… I feel unsettled. I think something is coming, but I’m not sure,” Bri said, scooting out of the car.

Fallons head whipped towards her, “Let’s not ignore that. We need to move.”

“If they even caught a trace of Lyla’s magic before it was dampened, they can follow it and can guess our next move,” he said, opening the back door.

Bri nodded, wringing her hands, “Let’s not stop until we reach the portal then. Crap is headed our way; I can feel it.”

Fallon nodded his agreement and pulled Lyla from her car seat.

They started hiking to the vamp portal with Lyla strapped to Fallon’s back while Bri carried some of the baby supplies in her pocket portal.

“The entrance is about a two-hour hike along this trail. It’s nestled in a small cave where we perform the ritual to open it,” Fallon said moving a branch out of his way.

Bris eyes narrowed at him, “It sounds almost too easy to be honest with you. Why haven’t any humans found it?”

Long legs walking a mile a minute, Fallon answered, “I should have explained before. When we had the alliance with the vamps and Fae, they decided to glamour the portal entrances so the humans wouldn’t accidentally find them.”

Trying her best to keep up, Bri answered, “That makes sense. I guess that’s what I would do if I had that kind of power.”

 Fallon stopped, forcing Bri to halt mid-step, “Bri, the light you bring to everyone around you is magic.”

He took a stride towards her, making her feel lightheaded with his aura. “You do more for me than you could possibly understand. I…” Fallon went silent and looked around.

Squeezing her shoulder, he whispered, “The Blood Coven… I can feel them. We need to run. Are you ready?”

Bris’ eyes widened, and she nodded quickly, unable to speak. They ran for all they were worth through the brush, and after Bri felt as if her lungs would explode, they stopped for a break.

But Fallon wouldn’t stop for longer than a minute, and they were back running. I will never take cardio for granted again, thought Bri.

 They finally stopped running and found the cave. Stepping inside, she could almost taste the energy here and figured it was due to the glamour.

“Okay…. What… do… we do now?” Bri huffed, dropping her bag as she caught her breath.

Fallon lifted Lyla off his back and handed her to Bri. “Now I use your pocket portal to grab the ingredients I need to open it.” He continued explaining, opening her bag, “I need to combine some ingredients with my blood, in order to open the portal.”

Bri nodded, holding Lyla to her chest so the child wouldn’t have to witness anything.

Knife in hand, Fallon walked up to the cave wall, pricking his finger. Just as he was rubbing the herbs between his bloodied fingers, lifting them to the cave wall, Bri heard someone run up to the entrance of the cave and yell.

“I know they are close!!! Hurry, we can’t let them escape!”

Bri stood quickly and rushed over to Fallon. She knew they were about to be in deep crap.

He grabbed her hand and placed his finger on the rocky wall. Beautiful, scroll-like markings lit the side of the cave wall with a bright white light.

Bri had never seen anything so beautiful.

A doorway-type structure appeared, with rainbow-colored ribbons of light swirling in an elegant pattern, begging to be stepped through.

 “Did you see that? They must have opened it. Hurry, they can’t get away!”

“Uh we need to go, like now!” Bri whisper shouted.

Fallon looked at her and asked, “Are you ready?”

“Don’t really have a choice here, Fallon, let’s go,” Bri said, urging him forward.

Grasping each other’s hands, they stepped through the churning ribbons.

               Bri thought the ribbons were beautiful, but what lay before her was otherworldly.

A bright white bridge suspended in a cloud of iridescent mist stretched before her. It felt as if they were encased in a prism of misty color. At the end of the bridge was another doorway of rainbow ribbons. It was surreal, if not a little eerie.

“Do they know how to open it?” Bri worried, looking behind her shoulder.

Fallon squeezed her hand, “Yes, but it can only be opened every seven days.”

“Alright, so we have a week to make friends with vampires, figure out how to save Lyla, and hope everything works out hunky dory. Easy peasy, we got this,” Bri said sarcastically.

Fallon grinned, then chuckled, “Well, when you put it that way, it sounds so easy. I think we can do this.”

Agreeing to make the best of the situation, they walked towards the other doorway. Not knowing who or what was on the other end and hoping it was someone or something they could negotiate with.

 “Wait, is there anything else in the vampire realm? I mean monsters or other scary junk I may have to have therapy for?” Bri asked, face scrunched. 

“I think they have a certain vampire version of a wolfy guard dog, but I think that’s it?” Fallon said with a shrug.

“Awesome, let’s not get eaten. That just sounds like a horrible way to go.” Bri said, frowning.

Fallon chuckled and said, “Bri, I think we can officially say you have a horribly amazing imagination. Thank you for the visual.”

They arrived at the opposite doorway and paused.

Bri looked at Fallon, then at the doorway, “Okay, scary man-eating dog, here we come.”

Shaking his head, he gently gripped Bri’s hand and guided her through the ribbon-like veil.

***

Cautiously taking a few steps, she looked around at the snow-topped mountains in awe. The vampire realm was… freaking cold. 

“Holy freeze balls on a stick, it’s cold out here,” she shivered.

Breathtaking, yes, with the winter wonderland vibes, but bitterly cold. She half expected Elsa to come running around the corner.

She looked over at Fallon, who was still holding her hand, and he seemed as stunned as she was.

 Fallon sighed, “I had no idea this was going to be a problem. I didn’t even consider what the realm would be like.”

Realizing Bri still had Lyla in her arms, he reached for her and asked, “You wouldn’t have anything in your Mary Poppins bag, would you? Even just layers for warmth?”

Bri thought for a moment, “I think I have a spare blanket in there and maybe a scarf. Let me check…”

Pulling her bag open as far as she could, and with a little magic, out popped some random clothing. Digging through the pile, she found some things to keep them a bit warmer. “Okay, I grabbed everything that we could possibly layer.”

After wrapping Lyla in a soft pink sweater and pulling socks up her chubby thighs, Fallon and Bri started bundling themselves.

Fallon wrapped a red scarf snugly around his head and neck. Bright pink fuzzy socks over his hands.

Bri thankfully found an oversized sweater she usually wore to bed, pulling blue fuzzy socks over her hands as well. Although she was grateful for the extra layers, the cold had already started to seep through.

Looking around, they decided to start heading towards the mountain and set out with Lyla strapped to Fallon’s front to keep warm.

 Bris’ thoughts raced, I really hope we are going the right way. How long could we last out here? Where are we supposed to search? Hopefully, the vamps will find us first, not some rabid animals.

 At the beginning of the trail, the clouds were grey and somber, but they still had light. That light quickly began to fade.

Anxiety ripping at her belly, Bri asked, “Fallon, maybe we should try to start a fire or something?”

He looked at her and Lyla, their faces starting to redden and chap, and said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t know what or who could find us.”

Bri’s heart sank, but she knew he was right.

Just as the sun set, they made it to the mountainside.

Shivering uncontrollably, Bri began to beg, “Fallon…. can we please…. make a damn fire? Not just for me, but for Lyla?”

Shivering himself, he said, “I think we can make a small one but nothing crazy, okay?”

Bri could have danced if her body weren’t so stiff. She opened her bag on the ground to grab her supplies and a few sticks lying around. She made a small ritual space and begged Mother Earth for a small fire.

 At first, she thought the Mother was choosing to ignore her, and tears pricked her eyes when little sparks lit the small pile of wood.

It wasn’t much, but with the wind blocked by the mountainside, she could imagine herself back home in front of the fireplace.

They passed around a small meal of granola and jerky, and Lyla took a bottle of milk after Bri wrapped the three of them in a thin blanket she dragged from her bag.

 Bri, still shivering slightly, asked, “What did you imagine the vampire realm to be like? Because this was definitely not in my top ten imaginings.”

Fallon laughed softly, “I truly never thought about it. My life consisted of just surviving day to day, I didn’t have time to daydream. I wish I had, with the crap show I’ve put us in.”

Bri laid her hand on his thigh and said, “You couldn’t have known any of this would happen, so don’t beat yourself up. You can’t change it, so we’ll just deal with it, okay?”

He nodded with a grateful grin. Bri scooted up beside him, laid her head on his shoulder, and said, “Let’s just get some rest, and maybe it will look better tomorrow.”

He put his hand around her waist and squeezed her in. Her belly swooped like a bird in flight. They both fell asleep with the warmth of each other’s bodies.

Jerking awake, Bri felt rather than saw that something was wrong.

She jostled Fallon awake, put a finger to her lips, and shook her head. He understood, handing over Lyla, who was thankfully still asleep. She pulled the baby closer, hoping her feelings were wrong because of the day’s stress.

Fallon slowly stood and looked around the small camp. The tiny fire was still going, thanks to the magic fueling it, but the light it provided was minuscule. Bri felt the hair on her arms rise and tried not to close her eyes in fear. Fallon gave her a look she couldn’t understand and pulled out his knife.

Bri never witnessed blood magic performed before, but she would now. He crept to the edge of the camp, slashing his palm while he walked.

She couldn’t see the blood through the darkness, but could smell it. Fallon chanted in some kind of language that sounded like Latin, and he threw the knife. She heard it land with a wet thunk, and a shriek erupted from the night.

Lyla began to cry, and Bri rocked and bounced on her feet to soothe her. After a moment, the baby calmed, and Fallon, looking exhausted, dragged his feet over to them. “Safe” was all he said before he collapsed to the ground.

               Bri was dumbstruck. What the heck was she supposed to do now?

She rushed over to Fallon, knelt next to him, and placed her hand on his chest to make sure he was still breathing.

She looked at Lyla wide-eyed saying, “Well, girlie, I guess we are staying here a bit longer then.”

“Oh, I don’t think you will make it through the night, girlie, so I would make another plan,” a deep voice said from the shadows.

               Bri’s heart went up her throat as she squished Lyla to her, much to Lylas’s dismay.

“Please don’t hurt us. We have nothing to give you. If you’re thinking of robbing us, just look at me. I am literally wearing socks on my hands,” Bri said, shaking.

She could see a masculine shape appear from the shadows. With a deep chuckle, the man approached her and said, “Good thing I’m not here to rob you. I would like to help.”

Bri focused on the man before her, noticing how handsome he was. The opposite of Fallon and honestly not her type. He was big and burly, with blonde hair falling just short of his shoulders. His piercing grey eyes were focused on her with interest.

“I really hope I can trust you because I am too cold to fight you,” Bri said. She had started shivering again, the adrenaline fading.

“Don’t worry, girlie. I can get you someplace warm in no time. If you are willing to follow me,” the man told her, eyebrow cocked.

Bri pointed to Fallon, “My…uhh… companion will die if we leave him here.” The huge man took two steps toward Fallon and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Well… that answers that question, thought Bri as she hurried over to her bag.

 “Keep up, or the wolves will get to you, and I can’t protect you all if you decide to wander,” Mr. Hulk called over his shoulder.

Bri hurried after him and decided to stay as close as possible to her maybe savior. “Please don’t let him be a psycho killer, she prayed.

***
Fallon

               Serena was kind, witty, fun, and after their mother died, she was everything to Fallon. “Fallon, you are just the best at this, aren’t you?” she asked, watching him set a trap for an unfortunate mouse.

“Yup, I am way better than you at this,” he said with pride. For an eight-year-old, Fallon was pretty sure of himself.

               “Okay,” Serena said, rolling her eyes. “I’m just glad you are catching them and not me. I hate mice. They give me the heebie-jeebies.”

 A few hours later, they heard a snap, and Fallon rushed to his trap to see his success. He found a tiny white mouse inside, still squirming, trying to get free.

“Okay, go let him out, dude. That’s so gross!” Serena said with a shriek.

As he opened their front door to walk the little mouse to the other side of the forest surrounding their home, he found himself staring into the cold, black eyes of the Blood Coven leader, Beatrice Foresithe. She had made their lives a living hell, thriving on the pain of others.

               “What do you think you’re doing?” She said with a sneer. “This specimen would give us enough power for at least a few days, and you were just going to allow it to go?”

Fallon took a few steps back. He knew they used blood for sacrifice, but he had never performed one himself.

His sister stepped forward, body tense, “He was just uh… saving it for later use, madame.”

Beatrice stepped closer, crouching down into his face, intimidating the heck out of him. “Well maybe we should skip the later part and sacrifice it now, shall we?”

Fallon gulped while Serena scrambled, “He isn’t ready Madame. He is only a child and… and ….”

Beatrice cut her off with a flick of her wrist. “He will perform a blood rite, whether he is ready or not. All children turning eight must perform for the good of the coven.”

               Fallon looked at his sister’s stricken, pale face, and his stomach dropped. He didn’t want her to get in trouble, so he stood tall and set the trap on the table.

Beatrice watched with beady eyes as he readied himself. With shaking hands, he grabbed the knife from the kitchen. He recited the proper Latin words in a small voice, and with tears in his eyes, he plunged the blade towards the small mouse.

               Fallon jerked awake from the horrible memory, eyes slowly focusing on the room around him.             

He was in a soft, comfortable bed with a full canopy, its soft cream curtains swaying. A fire blazed in a beautiful, white marble hearth.

Confused, he slowly sat up when everything came rushing back…. the bitter cold mountain, the wolf he had to kill with his blood magic. The taint of which still coated his mouth. No, he thought, Bri and Lyla. Were they still out there?

Panicked, he threw the door open and stumbled down the carpeted banister. Hee tripped and stumbled his way down the stairs and heard laughter.

He would know that laugh anywhere. He hurried down the hall and found an open doorway leading to a den.

As he opened the door in a rush, he saw Bri holding Lyla on a fluffy couch, both girls giggling at each other.

Bri jumped up, Lyla in her arms. “Thank the Mother and everything Holy; you’re okay,” she cried, rushing to him.

“You look exhausted,” Bri said as he sagged against the door frame. She rushed to help him, but instead, he grabbed her and Lyla, holding them close.

He realized he was shaking and assumed it was from weakness when he said, “I thought you were still out there. You and Lyla could have died, and I… I just don’t want to even consider that possibility.”

A little shocked, Bri pulled away to look at him. There were tears in his eyes as he stared into her soul.

He loved the way she blushed, when she said, “We got lucky. When you passed out, Kirk hauled your butt all the way to this mountain retreat. We found the vampires. They weren’t around the mountains; they were inside it.”

“Technically, we found you, but let’s not get into semantics,” a deep, smooth voice said from the corner.

Bris’ head whipped around to the figure before him. She turned back to him sheepishly saying, “Fallon, this is Calvin Aubert, King of the Vampires.”

               Resting her head against his chest she whispered, “He will give us sanctuary, and for now, we’re safe.”

***