House Wyndham Vampires: Half Light Part 19

"No, but she was pretty messed up. With no witnesses coming forward, and them not knowing where we are, Jared said they're waiting for her to recover enough to tell them."

"Recover enough?"

"Grow her vocal chords back."

Gross. "And you saw this light come out of my hand?"

"I did. And so did Jared. But he's not talking. And we're not sure what Dockal saw. But if she does accuse you, then they'll come for you."

"Who?"

He looked worried. "The Council."

"I'll just say she's lying."

"Hunters can't lie, Carly. They'll believe anything she says." His expression turned a little mischievous. "Though...I have an idea. I'm not sure it'll work."

"Not sure I'm liking your face. Did you ask about Brandon?"

"He's gone home with his parents. He just needed a night of observation. Sc.r.a.pes and bruises. But he's fine. I don't think Michel can touch him since the Council ruled he wasn't influenced. If he does go after him, then Michel'll be disobeying them and it'll be seen as a breach of the covenant."

"What would that do?"

"Not what you'd hope it would. The Covenant he has with your father has to be broken by them. And since you agreed-"

"-I was a kid!-"

"-then it'll have to be a two against one decision."

"But I don't want to bond with Michel. And I'm sure my Father isn't serious."

Craft pushed the rocking chair back. "Oh, he's serious. But I don't know why." He rubbed at his face. "Right now we need to worry about the present situation-"

I heard my phone ringing and realized it was inside. Hood opened the door for me and followed me in as I went to the bedroom I'd slept in. It was docked and charged, another of Craft's duties it seemed. I saw immediately that I'd had over ten missed calls.

None of them were from Brandon.

The one calling me now, was Father.

"h.e.l.lo."

"Where the h.e.l.l are you!?"

The pure, raw power from his voice over the phone scared the h.e.l.l out of me. The fact that his digital sounding voice could be that strong only alluded to the true power of his voice in person.

Craft blanched from where he stood nearby. "I'm okay."

"I know you're okay. You are my Childe. I'd know if you were injured. What I have to know is where you are, and is that d.a.m.ned Ghoul with you?"

"Father-"

"Answer me!"

It took all I had to keep silent and not tell him what I was thinking. Mostly because it wasn't nice.

"Carly-you wanted your year-"

"This has nothing to do with that."

"It has everything to do with it!"

I winced. So did Craft. He held his hand out. "Let me talk to him-"

"Put that d.a.m.ned fool on the phone."

But I stepped back. "No. Craft isn't a rogue. He's been my Ghoul since I tried to save him from Michel's mistreating of him-"

"Michel has the right to mistreat him how ever he wants. Craft is his Ghoul, Carly. You have got to realize that is a law of our people. Craft has no rights."

"Father-we've some how-there's a link that was made and I can't-"

"Carly," and his voice was much lower, much softer. "I know what happened. I know he's been linked to you. And whether you believe it or not, I understand. But this new link with Craft isn't a permanent one. Your blood can only hold him for so long. Even if you continue to let him feed from you, he'll always belong to Michel."

"You know this how?" I said and sat down slowly on the bed. "Why didn't you tell me before that feeding another's Ghoul would do this? Why didn't Jared tell me?"

"Because..." and he sounded odd. Almost...sad. "Because your blood is the only blood that can do that, Carly. He drank Jared's blood, didn't he? Is he claiming loyalty to Jared?"

No. He hadn't. And Father was right. Craft had drank from Jared first.

Wait a minute- "Father, what do you mean only my blood?"

"Carly-your gift. The Wyndham gift-manifests differently in each of us. Yours is finally coming into its own."

"I don't understand." I looked at Craft who was standing dutifully by the door. "I can read minds like you?"

"No. But apparently you can control them. You somehow wanted Craft to be your Ghoul-maybe you have a crush on him. He is a very handsome young man. It's what, in a way, caused Michel to make him. So you slipped inside of Craft's mind and Craft now believes he's yours. But it won't last. Blood calls to blood, Carly. And Ghouls, though simple in mind and thought, will return to their makers. You have to return him to us, or Michel will break the Covenant."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I-my wants and desires-had tricked Craft into believing that he was my Ghoul? And in order to not to break the one thing I wanted destroyed, I had to bring Craft to them.

Even now I could feel the link between Craft and I fading. He was in front of me but his presence didn't burn as strong. Was it really me wanting him to be with me that made him believe he was free of Michel? Or was it his own desire to be free of that b.a.s.t.a.r.d that helped him believe what my own power wanted him to?

My head was spinning and Father was talking. I felt the phone taken from me and I heard Craft's voice in the distance.

"....understand, sir. No...I will. We will be there on time. I will submit to whatever it is Master Babineaux wishes." And then he was handing the phone back to me.

"Carly?"

"Yes..."

"Craft is going to bring you back to your home. Jared will be there. And so will Michel. He's already on his way back. And then Craft is going to leave with Michel, and once your year is finished, you will come home and the blood bond will be made."

I nodded and disconnected. I knew he couldn't see me nod. But I didn't care.

Was it possible that I did have powers? But they were different than my father's? That where he heard minds, I could control them? Was I controlling Craft?

He was looking at me, my jacket in his hand. "We should go if we're going to make it back into town."

"Craft...it's not possible, is it? That I've used my mind to make you believe..."

"I don't know. I don't think so. What I feel with you feels like a blood bond-like it does with Michel. Your blood did something to me. Snapped me out of a haze I'd been in for-" he stopped and smiled. "For a very long time. I can think and feel again, and I've started questioning my existence. That's not something Ghouls do, Carly. We obey without question. But I can't see myself doing that anymore."

"You're obeying my Father."

"Because he's Senior on the Council, Carly. And he asked me nicely to bring you home and return to my Master. He told me that I wouldn't be punished...that it wasn't my fault."

I followed him out of the bedroom and stopped by the table. He turned and faced me. "You don't believe that do you? That Michel won't punish you."

He shook his head. "No. I don't believe Michel will punish me. I believe...he will kill me."

It was after midnight before we arrived back at the house Jared and I shared. The house was lit up with floodlights. A limo was parked in the back of the driveway, along with two more black cars. Four-door Mercedes.

When I got off the bike and removed the helmet, I realized there were a lot more presences in the house than just Jared and Michel.

"There are a lot of people in there," Craft said in a voice that sounded as apprehensive as I felt.

I nodded and he took my hand. The contact was warm and I could feel and hear his heart beating fast. He looked at me. "Carly-I just wanted to let you know, that I like you. That I...I worry about you. And that I wished I could have been your Ghoul permanently."

I squeezed his hand. I'd never really known nice guys in my life. I'd known so few men at all. Brandon being the first human man I'd really had contact with. And though Craft was a Ghoul, he was still human in so many ways. If I'd have met him before I met Brandon, I think I might have developed a crush on him.

We strode to the house and the door opened before we reached it.

I spotted a few people standing there, dressed in black. I recognized them. They were Wyndhams, parts of my extended family, many of them I'd known since I was human. Aunt Andrea and Uncle Andreas, twins that were turned by the same sire, met us at the door and escorted us to the living room.

Marcus Wyndham, my Father's human brother was there, along with the Family Matriarch, Baroness Zhaliahn Wyndham herself, standing inside the living room next to Jared. The Baroness was my Father's Sire, and the oldest living Wyndham.

Michel stepped forward and took my hand. He kissed the back of it and then stood. When he looked at Craft standing beside me, he reared his hand back and struck the Ghoul so hard across the face the man went flying backward over the furniture.

"Craft!" I shouted out and turned to help him.

But Michel had my arm in a death grip. "Leave him. He's mine and he will be dealt with."

I watched in dismay as two men I'd never seen before, both dressed in leather, stepped into the room and roughly lifted a dazed Craft from the floor. They half dragged him away and down the stairs to the room Jared had prepared for Michel on Friday...

My G.o.d...has it only been two days?

I turned and pulled my arm from his grip. "My Father promised Craft would not be harmed."

"Your Father does not have jurisdiction over my Ghoul! He will be punished as I see fit for daring to take my bride from me and defile her before our wedding night!"

I turned and glared at Michel, my jaw open in shock. "Defile?"

He returned my glare with one of his own. "You heard what I said. You were with him all day and all night. You think I don't know what went on?"

"What went on?" I took two steps toward him. "Nothing went on with Craft. He's an honorable man. He's courteous, n.o.ble and above all, a gentleman. None of which applies to you."

"I know what you did." Michel's voice became more a hiss and for an instant I thought I saw a large snake standing in his place. "He drank from you...you let him taste what is rightfully mine."

"I saved him," my eyes narrowed as I faced him down. This guy was really p.i.s.sing me off. How could I have been so enamored with him as a child?

"You've already been with two men since you're been here. The Baron should have kept you locked up where you belong."

"Really Michel...and what exactly have you been doing since you blew into town? Huh? How many women have you defiled since you got here?"

"I am a Prince! It is my right!"

"You are an a.s.s-hole!" I pointed at him with that last statement. I was mad, I was worried about Craft and I wanted more than anything to talk to Brandon.

"Children," the Baroness said in a gentle but commanding voice. "Quiet. Carly, come here."

I found myself moving to her before I was even aware my legs were working. I stood in front of her and she locked her eyes with mine. Zhaliahn Wyndham is maybe the single most beautiful female vampire I'd ever known. Her portrait hangs over the fireplace at my father's estates, and I used to sit for hours in the great room looking at it.

When I met the Baroness in person I realized the painting paled in comparison. Dark, thick, crimson hair rippled down over an oval shaped face before it caressed two delicate shoulders. Her skin was like a newborn's-pale, soft and unblemished. Her large eyes swept up along the outside, giving her an almost cat-like appearance, which she enhanced with eye-liner. Long, dark lashes swept up at she appraised me, and I found myself focusing on her bow shaped mouth and perfectly pink lips. When she spoke the edges of her fangs were just visible, but it only added to her mystique.

She was dressed in a dark green dress with matching short sweater and thick boots. Emeralds the color of her eyes swung from her ears and twinkled under the light of the nearby lamps.

We studied each other for a few seconds and she took my hand. "There has been no improper acts, Michel. Your Ghoul was indeed a perfect gentleman, and did his duty in taking care of your fiance. He kept her safe."

"She's lying."

The Baroness' expression s.h.i.+fted. It was subtle, but it was there. And it was frightening. She moved her gaze from me to just over my head and I knew she was looking at Michel. "Are you doubting my power as a Wyndham, Michel Babineaux?"

There was a pause and I so wanted to turn and watch him squirm. But I felt like I needed to stay right where I was, watching her.

"No Baroness."

"Then I suggest you respect my a.s.sessment of your Ghoul's forthright behavior. As for his ignoring your call, you have the right to punish him. But you must not kill him. If he dies, then I will nullify the Covenant with House Wyndham immediately and perhaps call that blood-hunt you threatened, on you. Do I make myself clear?"

I sighed inside. I wanted more than anything to nullify this stupid bonding with Michel-but not at the cost of Craft's life. I still felt him. I sensed his nervousness, and his pain. He was conscious and worried. I wanted to talk to him the way he'd talked to me at the accident, but I was too afraid someone would overhear me. I knew the Baroness had the ability to read minds-which is how she knew I was telling the truth about Craft. But could she read active thoughts?

I didn't know.

And if speaking to Craft with my mind was something that was unique, I didn't want anyone knowing I could.

"Crystal," Michel said. I didn't like his tone. And my heart skipped in fear for Craft.

The Baroness redirected her attention to me. It felt as if I were on a pedestal, and she was the light s.h.i.+ning down on me. "Carly," and she touched my chin with her finger. "We agree with your Father, that you should continue your year of independence, but we also feel you need better management. It's been a month and already you've entangled yourself with a human boy. And with no influence. That's very dangerous because it means honest emotions. So it's my decision that we move you to a house north of here."

I opened my mouth to protest and her eyes locked with mine. I heard her voice in my head silencing me. The word 'no' was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't open my lips to speak it.