Chapter Twenty-Eight

 

 

Weather-wise, March was a tricky month for Ryleigh. The sun could break through the clouds on a day when the snow didn’t fall and help to melt the drifts. The temperature overnight, however, would turn everything icy. Yet if there were enough sunny days, the banks slowly diminished. Only to be rebuilt when another storm hit.

It had been all Jade could do to keep from shoveling a path from her house to the church, tunneling her way to the snow level that had been about mid-calf deep the night she’d lost the necklace. But doing so would have increased her chances of moving the pendant unwittingly and tossing it aside with a heap of snow.

The white mounds, though, had succumbed to a week of unseasonably warm weather, and only barely covered the ground. So the search was on.

She traded her day shifts for night ones with Toran and scoured the area in front of her cottage, hoping the rays from overhead would catch the diamonds and make them sparkle enough to signal her of the necklace’s whereabouts.

Three days later and still unsuccessful, she branched out to the east. She was in the woods after the sun set, now using a lantern to guide her, when she heard footsteps behind her. They were so light and perfectly measured, she didn’t reach for her sword.

Standing, she turned and faced Sheena. “Hi.”

“Hi,” her vampire friend said, a contrite look on her striking, alabaster face. “I’m sorry I’ve waited so long to see you again.”

A lump of emotion formed in Jade’s throat. Tears prickled the backs of her eyes. “I figured you’d given up on me.” As Davian clearly had. She forced herself not to dwell on that excruciating thought.

“Of course not.” Sheena seemed to put great effort into conjuring the right words, then said, “I’ve been struggling with the difficulty of having a mortal friend. It’s proved most…challenging.”

Jade didn’t dispute that. “It’s not the human blood flowing in my veins that disturbs you, though.”

Sheena shook her head.

With a sigh, Jade said, “You think I’m reckless and that troubles you.”

“No. I think you’re determined and that troubles me. Plus, you’re a danger magnet. It’s unnerving.”

Temporarily giving up her search for the necklace, she said, “I have to be out on patrol. Do you want to join me?”

“I’d like to spend time with you, yes.”

They started a counter-clockwise route.

The vampire asked, “Do you enjoy this?”

“I’m usually on horseback, but the exercise this evening is nice.”

“I meant, do you enjoy being out here alone. At night?”

Jade glanced up at the clear sky and a moon that was nearly full. “It’s peaceful. I like how quiet it is. If I put all my concentration into hearing something—like the crack of a twig in the distance from an animal—I don’t have to think about anything else.”

Sheena glided gracefully alongside her. “What would you think about if you didn’t have something else to distract you?”

With a shrug, Jade said, “Everything.”

“The king?” the vampire ventured.

Jade let out a long breath. “What would be the point?”

“I don’t know, the fact that he loves you?”

Her stomach twisted. “That seems unlikely. I haven’t seen him in over a month.”

“He’s been busy.”

“Right.”

They continued in silence. Jade altered her path every night to cover more territory. The intent of the patrols, Toran had explained, was to search for any sign of a demon inhabiting the woods. Or more than two of them entering Ryleigh.

Jade wondered how the checks and balance system worked at the castle. She surmised the demons had to report to someone that they intended to go into the village to ensure they kept to the king’s law. Not that immortals came into the village all that often. They didn’t hang out at the tavern and shoot the breeze. But they seemed interested in seeing how the humans fared in this new world. She had no doubt Sheena possessed enough clout to supersede another demon’s request in order to make tonight’s visit.

The vampire eventually interrupted the respite by asking, “When you accepted the king’s marriage proposal, which I heard about from Morgan, did you do it simply to keep the humans from feeling threatened by his army encircling the village, or because you really wanted to be his wife?”

“First,” Jade said, “since you and I are friends, you can call him Davian in my presence. I really don’t need the constant reminder he’s the king. Believe me, that reality is never far from my mind, and when he’s mad at me, he makes a point of reiterating his authority.”

“Fine.”

“Second,” she added as they wandered through the west woods, Jade’s gaze scanning the area, “I wanted to say yes to him the moment he asked me. I was completely awestruck when he gave me the necklace, but that ring meant even more to me.” She didn’t bother mentioning the inscription. It no longer held weight…or the same significance as the night he’d placed it on her finger.

And that made her heart hurt even more.

“Is that what you were doing in the forest by your house earlier?” Sheena asked. “Trying to find the necklace?”

“Yes. I still can’t believe I lost such a valuable piece of jewelry. A family heirloom, no less. I’m sick about it.”

“Davian would never hold it against you, Jade. Despite the pendant being priceless, he wouldn’t fault you. He was much more concerned about the fire wraith’s attack on you and the severity of your injuries than the necklace having fallen off during the assault.”

“That’s very kind of him. Doesn’t make me feel any better, though.” They wove their way south. “I’m going to search on hands and knees until I find that damn thing.”

“I’ll help you,” Sheena said. “I can look at night while you’re out on patrol. I have excellent vision and the moonlight will catch the diamonds, which the star is reported to be covered in.”

“You’ve never seen it?”

“No.” She appeared fascinated by the prospect. “I’ve heard it’s stunning. But that’s really all I know about it. There are some hush-hush rumors from centuries ago, yet no one has ever confirmed anything. Except that it’s a gorgeous work of art.”

“That it is.”

The icy ground crunched beneath their feet, blending with the sounds of nature.

Jade asked, “How long have you been a vampire?”

“Not long at all. Seventy-two years. I was born in 1982.” Though she looked to be no older than twenty-eight or -nine.

“Born? Or is that when you became a vampire?”

“I’m a purebred. Both parents are vampires.”

“Interesting.”

“We come from a long line of them,” Sheena explained. “The coven I belong to is mostly comprised of my relatives. But when the king—Davian,” she corrected for Jade’s benefit, “built the castle and needed an assistant, I didn’t mind leaving my family because so many demons from his alliance intended to settle nearby or within the castle walls. I’ve told you before, I prefer company.”

“I’ve been enjoying it more than isolation recently. I suppose it was easier to not get too close to anyone after my parents died.”

Jade stopped abruptly. They’d reached a road that cut through the forest. She glanced over her shoulder, back toward the direction from which they’d come. She’d veered off course while talking with Sheena and they’d ended up at the one place Jade had avoided for over fifteen years.

“What’s wrong?” Sheena asked, alarmed. “I don’t hear or see anything abnormal. What is it, Jade?”

Her insides tightened and her breathing picked up a few notches. “This is where my parents were killed. I subconsciously brought us here.”

She turned to the woods they’d just exited, bewildered.

Sheena asked, “This isn’t your normal route?”

“Not at all. I haven’t been here since…” Her voice trailed off.

She walked back to the edge of the trees. Her stomach coiled.

“I hid right over there.” Jade gestured toward a thicket of tall pines. Nausea rose within her, but she attempted to tamp it down. “My parents took this road to a neighboring village one night. I was supposed to stay behind, with Michael’s family.”

The vampire instantly appeared by her side. “Of course you didn’t do as you were told.”

“Of course not. I followed them. I was just about to pop out onto the path, knowing I was far enough away from Ryleigh that they wouldn’t send me back, when two wolves came out of the forest on the opposite side of the road. I crouched down, concealed by shrubs.”

Unable to stop the flood of memories, Jade was instantly transported to that gut-wrenching day when she’d witnessed her parents’ ruthless murders.

Yet she felt slightly detached from the recollection and her voice held a distant timbre as she said, “My father pushed my mother behind him as the shifters advanced on them. He reached for his sword. She had one too. Mine. She was too scared to pull it from its casing, though.”

Sheena asked in a soft voice, “What did renegade shifters want with your family?”

“My father was the leader of the village,” Jade told her. She had no concrete answers, but said, “Perhaps they wanted to start at the top and work their way down. If they eliminated him and the slayers, the people within the borders would be easier to kill and they could take control of the village. Set up camp at the base of the castle as they awaited their army to arrive and take on the king’s men. At least, that’s what the slayers deduced, and I’ve always subscribed to that theory.” Further consideration made her add, “This is probably the reason I was so adamant about following Toran when the fire wraith’s soldiers arrived before Davian’s.”

Jade crossed to the copse she’d indicated. She reached out a hand and her fingers grazed the bark of a wide trunk. An ominous sensation slinked through her.

She said, “I remember thinking I should run away. Find a slayer. But I couldn’t move. I was literally paralyzed with fear—the way I’d been in the meadow before Morgan shoved me out of the fire wraith’s path. I wanted to scream for my parents to run as well.” The burn in her throat now was as strong as it had been all those years ago. “I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. And I know why.”

Sheena stealthily joined her once again, but didn’t speak.

“I knew there was nothing I could do,” Jade continued. “If I did cry out, the shifters would come after me too. If I fled, they’d follow me and kill me. Yet in my mind, I was yelling at myself to do both of those things to distract the shifters’ attention from my parents. I wanted to get the wolves to chase me, but I was completely immobilized. Something I’ve never forgiven myself for.”

The vampire’s hand rested gently on her shoulder. “You simply can’t accept you’re not always the true target.”

Jade’s eyes flashed to Sheena’s concerned face. “I never thought of it that way.”

“Why must you always first think that you should be the savior?”

Their gazes locked. Jade’s heart beat faster. She had no answer for her friend’s question, aside from saying, “I possess special abilities others do not. Doesn’t that mean I should try to save those weaker than me?”

Sheena gaped, but for a moment. “You’re not invincible, Jade. You’re human and mortal. So even if you had distracted the shifters, you wouldn’t have gotten away from them or survived their swift attack. They would have circled back for your parents. Then, Jade, all three of you would be dead.”

Tears crested her eyes. “I know this, Sheena. But it doesn’t comfort me. Can you understand that? I cowered here, and while my mind raced with all the things I should do—all the things I wanted to do—I couldn’t physically move, other than to turn my back and cover my ears and close my eyes when my mother started screaming.”

Her body jerked at the memory and tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Jade…”

“Eventually,” she told Sheena, “the ground vibrated and I peeked again, seeing a rider descending upon the shifters. They’d already…dismembered…my parents.” She swallowed down the bile inching upward. “The wolves took off and the rider pursued them. I only recently learned who he was—Morgan. He killed the shifters.”

“And then came back for you?” her friend asked, her voice low and soothing.

“No,” Jade said. “Walker found me. He took me to Michael’s parents’ house and I had a horrific couple of weeks there, with nightmares and never-ending sobfests.” She shook her head. “Nothing and no one could console me. I wanted to be alone. I hated how everyone kept trying to calm me. I didn’t want to be calm. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t do that with all those people constantly surrounding me. So I decided to go to the cottage.”

“And they just let you?” Sheena admonished.

“I left when they were at the town hall on a Sunday. Michael’s father came to the cottage and tried to persuade me to return with him, but I refused. I think he had it in his mind to physically remove me, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. He let me stay.”

“How dreadful.”

“In the beginning,” Jade concurred. “Gradually, it got better. The solitude was somehow soothing. And I felt a connection with my parents when I was at the cottage—that got me through some very tough nights. That connection has never gone away.”

“I’m sure your neighbors checked on you regularly.”

“They did. Everyone found some way to assist me, though I’ve always had an independent streak, so I didn’t have trouble fending for myself.”

“I suppose that’s a good thing,” Sheena admitted. “Here we’ve been criticizing you for being so autonomous, yet it’s a characteristic that has obviously seen you through difficult situations. Painful times.”

Jade thought of how she’d recently opened up to her human friends, and how she’d mindlessly brought Sheena to this sacred spot she would never have come to on her own—nor had she ever shared this much detail of the worst day of her life with anyone else. Not even Michael.

Brushing away her tears, she asked, “Do most vampires prefer being in groups?”

“Yes. That’s likely why there are a number of them who reside within the castle. The shifters prefer the woods, naturally. The other demons don’t seem to have a specific inclination, though most of them exist outside the castle walls.” Sheena was quiet a moment before saying, “I won’t lie and tell you all demons want harmony with humans. We still have the desire to be the dominate species. And we want the freedom to not live in fear of slayings.”

“Humans want that for themselves as well.”

“I understand.” The vampire smiled. “I believe that’s why we’re all able to inhabit this world at the same time, with the exception of the offshoots. They do set back our progress when they rise up. But for the most part, the demons belonging to Davian’s kingdom and those of his stewards are tired of fighting and want to enjoy the fresh air, the unspoiled land, the non-contaminated waters.”

“Your kind would have made great environmentalists decades ago.”

With a shrug and a remorseful sigh, she contended, “It’s unfortunate we’ve cared more about the ecosystem than human life.”

“Maybe that’s where a balance can come into play. Isn’t there a way to provide creature comforts without polluting the world again?”

“I don’t know,” Sheena earnestly said. “But the idea holds merit.”

It seemed to Jade each breed had much to offer, and the possibility of making those advantages mutually beneficial was certainly a notion to explore.

“Well.” Jade whisked her palms over her cheeks to wipe away the rest of her tears. Took a few deep breaths. Then she squared her shoulders, remembering her mission. “I need to make a sweep along the eastern boundary and then north to my cottage.”

They continued with minimal chatter, both lost in their own thoughts.

When they returned to Jade’s house, Sheena said, “I’ll come by at dusk tomorrow to search for the necklace if you haven’t found it during your hunt in the daylight.”

“Thank you. I appreciate the help.”

“We’ll find the Star of Nathea. I promise.”

Jade suddenly felt compelled to do something very uncharacteristic of her. She hugged her vampire friend.

With a laugh, Sheena said, “Oh! That came as a surprise.” But she hugged her back. “I suppose we both still have much to learn about being a good friend.”

“I’m going to work on it.”

“As am I.”

Sheena bid her goodnight and Jade entered her cottage. She removed her boots and settled on the sofa in front of the fire, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs.

She exhaled slowly and allowed her mind to wander. Thinking of her parents and all they’d done to protect the villagers—and their union with Morgan that furthered the effort—caused yet another shift within Jade.

Closing her eyes, she released her tight hold on the past. The emotions flowed through her, knotting her stomach and tugging at her heart. Burning through her veins. She neither ignored nor fought the agonizing sensations. Rather, she gave into them, the way she had over her grief of losing Davian.

More tears streamed quickly and abundantly, because she didn’t push them back. Once again, her crying turned into violent sobs that made her body convulse. Tonight, she wept for her parents—the family she’d loved.

It was harrowing for her, but Jade knew releasing all the feelings of despair was the right thing to do. The necessary thing. She desperately needed the cleansing.

Hours slid by before the tears tapered off and her body ceased shaking. She sniffled and swept away the dampness from her flushed cheeks. A few hiccups had a strange effect on her. She actually laughed.

Following more deep breaths, she told herself it was time to move on. Time to stop living day-to-day, and focus on her future and her new role within the community. Time to let her friends into her life, and be an integral part of theirs—human and demon alike.

She even decided to invite Morgan to dinner, the way her parents once had. Unfortunately, he’d have to suffer through her less-than-stellar cooking.

As for Davian… Jade couldn’t help but wonder if it was possible to win him back.

First, she’d find the necklace. Then she’d take it to him at the castle and gauge the emotional barometer.

She’d force herself to weather any storm with him—provided he was even interested in engaging with her.