From the Flames- Book Six

Ch. 8- It's All Fun & Games

I knocked on Aeson's door before entering and I realized he was dozing off, which is very unlike him. It was not even nighttime and here he was, spending all day in bed. But I do not blame him, he deserves to rest but not right now. He awoke with a start, widened his eyes and I only laughed. "Kala, stop barging into my room like you own the place. What if I was indecent?" he growled.

I rolled my eyes. "To be clear, I did knock first. Listen, Father has told me that we are to stay inside for a while because of the threats outside. So, you know what that means?"

Ace straightened and looked from me to Jesse, who stood beside me with his arms crossed. "It means that my sister will be unbearingly more annoying than she already is?"

"No." I replied, ignoring his bad mood. "It means that we have the opportunity to play our favorite game. And Jesse can join us." I turned around to face the boy behind me and smiled. "You know, it could last hours even days. All of us are really good at hiding."

Jesse's lips curled into a smile. "Of course you would say that."

I whipped my head around toward Ace. "And before I forget, you need to stop using your power on me. I think my teeth are chattering and my hands are about to fall off."

Aeson stood up from his bed and stretched. He wore pajamas and a grey top while his reddish-brown hair was a mess on top of his head. Sometimes it felt like I do not even know him for he is very secretive and quiet. For someone who can read everyone's emotions, he sure knows how to keep his own in check. And that is what scares me the most. I could tell he was trying not to smile but failed. Typical Aeson. Within a few minutes, I was warm again. Warm as I can be, at least. "If I didn't step in, you would have blown the roof off of our centuries-old home. You can thank me later, Kala. For now, let's get everyone together. I guess since you are teaming up with Jesse, I will have to convince Carsten or Dakota to team up with me. I am sure they would love it if I joined them."

"Since when did the Ayelets come?" I questioned.

"Just last night while you were recovering." he confessed. "Good timing, too, because we need everyone here in case something happens."

I nodded my head slightly. All of us were silent as we walked out of my brother's bedroom and into the hallway. Together, we knocked on everyone's bedroom, including the youngest which was Emmeline. Jesse, Aeson, and I told everyone we were playing the game and all of them agreed to play, which was a relief.

Rosalind and Emmeline were almost the same age, which is good because they could pair up. Then it was Willow and Luci, both of them squealing as it was the first time we have ever played. Next, it was Carsten and Dakota together and I watched as they high-fived each other. Finally, it was Meredith and Ace. Normally she wouldn't play the game because she thought it was too childish. I could not even think why she was playing today.

My cousins were way different from me. Rosie and Kota had black, wavy hair and brown skin that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Both of them had almost black eyes and they always liked to scare the humans with their Vampire fangs. When Dakota was here, he spent most of his time with our cousin, Carsten. He was as annoying as my brother, both of them thinking they are superior in some way. He and his siblings had dark blond hair that had a reddish tint to it and hazel eyes just like my uncle Jasper. Somehow all of them turned out to be full-blooded Vampires. Before they were born, Jasper decided to give up his powers. I guess because he did not want Grace to go through what my mother went through.

Meredith and Luci, well, they looked almost identical to my Uncle Christian and Aunt Amelia. They had the blackest of straight hair and blue eyes that were almost hard to look at sometimes because of their intensity. While Luci had freckles, Meredith had the clearest of skin that was pale like Ellie's. All of my cousins were fun to be around, but I could never be as close to them as I can be. I think they are scared of me and my brother for our deadly powers. But it was only a suspicion.

I placed my hand into Jesse's as we were getting ready to start. "What's the prize this time?" I asked everyone. "A special weapon of sorts?"

"Jewelry?" asked Luci. "Oh, how I would love to get my hands on the necklace of Scarlett de Blaire's." Scarlett was the descendant of the God and Goddess of Death from another world. Whenever my parents needed their help, they would tell us to open a rift. It took a lot of energy out of us that we would do it occasionally. A few years after we were born, Scarlett found them and Verena asked her to stay with her. She accepted. I met her a few times and she was as entitled as the rest of us. Even more so. But she was also terrifying. And maybe that is the reason why I liked her so much.

I laughed. "You take the goddamn necklace off of her, you will be wishing you hadn't."

"Can we decide this later?" grumbled Kota. "I want to get this game going."

"You're right." I said. "The game starts now." After I said those last few words, everyone scattered. They used their speed to hide. The rules were that we were to hide in the castle until one of the older Vampires would find us. Or the Council, who was s grouchy as anyone and liked to keep to themselves. Whenever they would find us, we were out of the game. The longest game ever was a week and it scared my parents half to death. Until my brother and I decided that we would end it and show ourselves. We had a trick up our sleeves and no one would know what that was.

I guided Jesse in my room, my hand still placed in his. "Why are we hiding in here." he questioned, his eyebrow raised. "Is this your spectacular way of getting me in your bed? I have to say, you could have just asked."

"Shut up. They'll hear you." I whispered. I shushed him as I opened the door to my closet and pushed him in. Then I opened the secret door that nobody knew, not even my brother. This was my secret only that I did not want anyone to know. Until know. I trusted Jesse to know another secret of mine.

We quietly walked into the passageway and I closed the door behind me. Once I knew that we were out of earshot, I spoke. "No one knows about this place. I don't really know what this was used for but I took it upon myself to keep everything where it was. There are lots of old artifacts here and books that are filled with the unknown history of all supernatural creatures." I paused. "This is how we win the game."

And at that, Jesse smiled. "You keep on surprising me, Princess."

There was an old table that was still standing with lots of old books and daggers on top. I usually sat here to think or read. And I did that at the moment while Jesse sat next to me. I picked up two daggers and decided to sharpen them. "We might be here for a few days, I suggest getting yourself comfortable. There are food and water over there by the far wall and a bucket in case."

"So I'm your prisoner, then." he asked.

I finally looked at him, my eyebrow raised. "More time to talk about how you are on her side." I confessed. "And the moment you met me, you have planned to take me to her so she can finally end me."

His eyes widened in surprise.

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