42: You're Family

Days go by without a word from Gabriel or Phillip. There was this thought in my head, a crazy thought that it was over. That they got what they wanted and I was useless to them now. He has his coven, he has his sacrifice and he may or may not bring on the end of the world, but is that really my problem?

But those crazy thoughts and hopes go right out the window when I step out of Mystic Moon after my shift and see a familiar car waiting outside. I don’t approach it, I keep to the sidewalk and walk away.

I hear it gently roll alongside me. There’s no hearing the window from roll down, but the unfamiliar voice that calls out my name is crystal clear. “Hazel. Master Phillip requests your presence.”

I stop in my tracks, head dropping toward the sidewalk in defeat. “And where is my usual escort? Gabriel?”

“Busy.” The vampire grumbles as he shifts around to open the back door. “I would much rather him be here instead of me too.”

I huff at his rudeness, but decide not to push it and get in the car. This vampire seems like he would result in force if he needed to. I slam the door extra hard as my final word. It’s going to be another long night.

Once arriving at the manor, I expect Gabriel to be waiting, but the vampire stranger was right. Gabriel is busy with something else other than me.

We find Phillip in his usual sitting room, a smug smile on his face. “Hazel, what a pleasure.” At Phillip’s greeting vampire stranger scampers off somewhere.
“Phillip.” I retort in a bland, unpleasurable tone.

“I have wonderful news.” He smiles wider, his fangs clearly visible. “You were right...about Tessa. She was out in open, exactly where you said she’d be. Bravo.” He lightly taps his hands together to produce a feeble applause.

“Great. You have her and now I’m out.” I turn to leave.

“Oh, Hazel, darling,” His words cause my feet to stop. “You’ll never be out. Your family.” Phillip mocks.

I whip around, my anger getting the best of me. “Family?”

“Yes, and you’ll participate in our glory.”

The Hell I will, is what I want to say, but I bite my tongue. “Glory? The only thing you’re precious coven is going to achieve is massive amounts of death. Far from glory.” I pause and try to catch any change in his expression, but he remains etched in stone, “instead of bringing on the rise of you bloodsuckers, they bring on something entirely worse. No one will survive. Not even you.”

And there’s a flash of something. Surprise? Contempt? “And you know this how? Assumptions? To scare me into quitting, into giving you an upper hand?”

“And here I thought I already proved myself. All witches have magic, dreams are mine. I see many things within dreams and your failure is at the top.”

“And you would love to see that wouldn’t you.”

I shrug my shoulders not wanting to verbally admit it, but not denying it either.

“If you want to go unpresent during the ceremony there’s a cost.”

Ugh, I hate vampires. “Of course there is.” I mutter under my breath. “And what would that be?”

“Since you are so talented, you will make sure the coven succeeds.”

“The oath was for Tessa. Your mess up after that is on you.”

“Oh, Hazel. It was never truly about Tessa. I had Tessa, but it was Gabriel that let her slip out of my grasp. All because of you. An elaborate plot to get a witch and he’s extremely lucky that you succeeded otherwise you both would be very much dead.”

“No.” The world slips from my numb lips. Gabriel’s words from the gala tumble around inside my head when I said my job was done. ‘That would be the case if you were here because of Phillip.’ And apparently, I’m not here because of Phillip. I’m here because of Gabriel.

“So clueless.” He looks me over and I can feel his pity. It makes me sick. “So much work for something...unnecessary. He had the affection of a witch, but he wanted you instead.”

A gruff laugh rumbles in my chest. “You really had me there for a minute.” I exhale a breath that I painfully held onto. Who was he to make me second guess everything? Phillip, King of Vampires enjoys playing with people’s emotions.

“Naive as well as clueless. You’ll have to speak with Gabriel about the matter, but he has indentured you into my services, so my failure is your failure.” Phillip waves his arm in the motion of summoning someone. His voice is overbearing and too loud for how close I am to him. “Bring Hazel to meet the coven. She has work to do.”

With a glance to my right I see vampire stranger that drove me here, apparently pleased to have still deal with me. As he nods in acceptance of his responsibility, he quickly moves to leave the room. I have an awful time keeping up with his brisk pace as he weaves through halls and down staircases assuming I’m familiar with the manor. By time we reach our secluded destination, I’m huffing and puffing.

“You’re capable of finding your way back?” He asks as if it were a question, but before I can reply no, I can’t find my way back, he walks away leaving alone in the hall.
I stand there like an idiot, stuck in place not wanting to knock. Deep breath in, I raise my hand, knuckles at the ready, but before I can give a sharp knock on the wood, the door opens.

None other than witch-face Brooklynn answers the door. “Well, well, well. Look who it is.”

“I’ve been sent by Phillip to assist.”

“Assist in doing what? We don’t need an average witch to join our ranks. Surely, you misunderstood. Maybe he sent you here to become a second offering.”

Average? “No, I’m pretty sure it’s to make sure you don’t fuck up.”

“Bullshit.”

“Afraid not. You can go speak with him yourself if you’d like, but you and your prized coven apparently have no idea what you’re doing and will end up killing everyone, including Phillip. So, I need to see the spell you plan on doing in order to see where you mess up.”

“Afraid not.” She copies my words in refusal. “I don’t trust you.”

“Listen, I’m not going to beg. I’m trying to help you, but if you want to fail and kill everyone on the planet in the process then go ahead.” I turn away and stomp down the hall the same direction I’m pretty sure I came from.

Except after a few turns, I quickly get lost and have to backtrack a little bit before I finally find a staircase that looks semi familiar. My pounding heart quickly gives a jolt when I spot a moving shadow just up ahead.

“Did you get lost?” Gabriel gives me a sharp smile as he leisurely leans against the brick wall enjoying my panic.

“Maybe. That’s what happens when people lead me to the dungeons and just leave me here.”

“What were you doing down here anyways?”

“I’m sure you’ll hear all about it, but I was ordered by Phillip to help his coven not kill everyone. They refused said offer, so I’m done here.” I march forward to the nearest staircase unsure if that’s the direction I need to go in or not, but I need some air, pronto, because I’m suddenly feeling claustrophobic.

“I know you’re upset with me, but at least let me explain.” He lectures me as I march up the stairs.

“I really don’t-”

My arm is suddenly jerked backwards and I stumble off the edge of a step and land right in Gabriel’s outstretched arms. I quickly slap him as I struggle to my feet.
My words venomously leave my mouth, desperately trying to hurt his feelings. I should scream at him that I could’ve been seriously injured with his little stunt, but those words don’t come out. “I don’t care if you’re with Brooklyn. You two deserve each other if I’m being honest, but don’t drag me into this whole vampire business on bullshit reasons.”

“Bullshit reasons?” He shakes head for what reason I’m not entirely sure of “Okay. I admit, I dragged you into vampire business for selfish reasons, but none of which are bullshit. It could’ve ended badly for both of us if-”

“So I heard.” I climb a couple steps putting some distance between us. I’m not ready to hear the excuses that he’s bound to come up with, I’m not sure I care.
He gives a soft laugh realizing that I’m aware of more than he thought I knew. “The situation with Brooklynn is complicated. I was under strict orders, obligations.”

“What does that even mean?”

“She refused to do the ritual after she found out about the blood oath. Phillip thwarted her refusal until he was sure you would find Tessa, then he granted her demand. Me.”

This time I’m the one laughing, a deep haughty cackle rushes from my lips and echoes through the halls. “I bet that just boosted your ego.”

“Are you like this with the wolf too? Easily push people away.”

“If they deserve it.” A rush of relief floods through me as I step out onto the main floor. I waste no time marching to front door. I’ve been through this whole conversation once already with a different person, the wolf and I’m going to do it again. I have my reason, everyone does.

I rapidly come up on the room that I left Phillip in, Gabriel hot on my heels. A quick look inside still shows him sitting on his chair. “See ya later. Good luck with dying and all.”
All I feel is a cold gust of wind pass me, ruffling my hair. Phillip stands before me blocking my path, a conniving smile on his face, his eyes moving back and forth between Gabriel and I. “That doesn’t sound like a witch playing nice.”

“Yeah.” I say unamused. “Wrong witch. I’m off to beg our shop’s ghost for some sort of protection, because I obviously ain’t going to be getting it from any of you. “ I step around him. “You know where to find me if you can get your bitches, I mean witches in line. Until then, I need a ride back home.”

“I’ll take her.” Gabriel offers.

“Of course you will.” I proceed to exit the manor leaving the door wide open with an expectation of Gabriel following, but Phillip grabs the door and lets it slowly click closed. I loiter out front, mildly curious of the argument that Gabriel and Phillip are having because there’s no doubt that it’s about me.

The door swings open with a creak. Gabriel is perfectly framed in the doorway, but it’s Phillip’s ugly face that peeks out from around the door that chills my blood. “Gabriel has offered to speak to the coven on your behalf.” He says it in a condescending tone. “Hopefully, with everyone hard at work we’ll achieve our goal with as few casualties as possible.”

“Or course.” I turn away and head toward the car.

I know better than anyone that Phillip cares less about casualties. As long as his own life isn’t at risk, he’ll see anyone die if it benefits him.