The Realm of Truth (Book 1) [In the process of editing]

Chapter 21: Family Reunions

(Odette's POV)~

I found myself dreaming....Or so I think I was.

I remember being inflicted with what felt like blades that Esme casted on me. I would have to remember to get payback on her later, even if she was trying to help.

I stood in the middle of the woods, and it was twilight. I was by myself, and I thought I was near Damien's home, but his home was nowhere to be seen. "Damien?" I called out. "Are you there?" I was hearing voices, some of them calling my name. I turned around and didn't see anyone in sight of me, which I thought was strange. I pulled out my amulet just to make sure it was still with me, and it was. I took a sigh of relief.

I felt someone tap on my shoulder and I jumped, wheeling around to the stranger. He looked unfamiliar to me, but for some reason I felt like I knew him. He was a bit older looking, and probably old enough to be a dad, but that was it. "Wake up, Odette." he said, softly. "The first part of your story is over, but now you're about to meet someone new."

"Someone new?" I asked him. "Who do you mean? A friend?"

I turned around again when I felt a presence near me. I turned back to see the gentleman but he was gone. I was about to go into attack mode, until I saw my doppelganger who smiled at me. "I guess I could say that playing as you isn't as terrible as I thought it was going to be." Sophie said. "Thank you for actually realizing who you are."

I rolled my eyes in response.

"Just remember, Celeste isn't mad at you for what had happened. I was only doing my job to make sure that you can control the monster inside of you."

"And how would you know Celeste isn't mad at me?" I asked her.

"Because I really am not." I heard another voice as Sophie disappeared. I turned around and saw Celeste. "You're brilliant, Odette."

I almost wanted to cry, to let my humanity sink in. Am I seeing things? Is this real?

"In your dreams, I'm real." she said, smiling at me. I wanted to hug her, but I couldn't. My legs wouldn't move. "I'm sorry, Odette. I'm sorry for not realizing what I was dealing with all this time. You must've felt so much guilt."

"I did..." I said, closing my eyes tight. I really couldn't tell if this was real or fake. Then Celeste wanted me to wake up as well as the others did.

"Wake up, Odette." Several other voices rang out to me. "Wake up."

~~~

"Wake up!" Damien shouted at me. He plopped a pillow down on my face and I was greeted with feathers piling in my mouth.

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the old building, and I pouted. "You can't let sleeping beauty rest for a whole night?" I asked, and he giggled.

"Esme has things she wants to tell us." he said, "Get ready, we're going out, and tourists are about to flood the area if we don't leave like now. They'll think we just crashed here, and are doing suspicious things."

"Well, in that case." I started to say. "You clean this mess up." I pointed around my area full of pillow feathers.

"Why me?"

"Don't start with that." I said. "You're the one who smacked a pillow in my face."

He smiled at me, and started to lean in for a kiss, but I pulled away from him. I still didn't know if I wanted him like that or not. He frowned, only for a little bit and then Esme walked in. "Ready?" Esme asked, and then she looked disappointed with the mess on the floor. "The staff isn't going to be happy when they see this."

~~~

We were walking around the area of Salem downtown and stopped at a coffee shop nearby. We sat down and found a table all the way to the back of the shop to have some privacy. "So, Damien tells me you know a conclave of vampires?" I asked Esme. She nodded and set down her coffee. Mine was already finished, and it still was just enough to keep me at bay.

"Yes, there's a conclave of vampires here in Salem." she explained. "I had a feeling you were on your way here before you arrived. Don't ask me how, but I can sense it. Anyways, normally in October, there's an event here called Endless Night."

Damien and I exchanged looks in confusion.

"What's that?"

"The largest gathering in Salem history." she smiled at us, patting down her blouse. "The main and most beautiful event is the Endless Night Vampire Ball. Everyone is invited and they also can pay for VIP tickets here as well. You can probably guess where I'm getting at. The conclave hangs out there when it's empty cause it's the best place to hide in secret." We nodded in acknowledgement, and we decided to head there after lunch.

"Who are they, anyway?"

"You'll have to see for yourself, Odette." Esme said, leading us to the Hawthorne hotel.

~~~

We were glad that everything was close by together, so Damien wouldn't have to moan about walking so much. "Welcome to the Hawthorne hotel." One of the hotel staff members greeted us. "Will you be staying with us today?"

"No, I'm just actually showing them what this place looks like." Esme spoke up, and gesture to us. "They're tourists and even though they aren't from here. They were interested about the Endless Night Vampire Ball's history, so I thought I'd show them the way. Is that alright? I work around here and I am very familiar with everything."

"Certainly." One of the staff members said, and they led us inside.

Esme led me and Damien to the ballroom where it was empty. Or so we thought. We couldn't tell, actually, since most of the people that were in there were waiters/waitresses... I tilted my head in confusion. "So?" I started to asked Esme. She didn't say anything from here on out. I sighed.

"Odette?" I heard a deep voice. "Is that...is that really you?" 

I turned to meet a man, who was a few inches taller than me and a bit older than me. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked, with an eyebrow raised. The stranger looked at himself and laughed lightly.

"I'm sorry," he said. "This is a disguise. We're just preparing for an event for a wedding in a month. We gotta look you know...human."

Mine and Damien's jaw gaped, and we exchanged looks. "Hold on, you're a..." Damien started to say.

"Vampire, yes." The man answered. He looked at me, carefully. "We were wondering when you'd come around, Odette. I'm your mother's brother....Ambrosius. I guess you could call me your uncle. Your mother's side of the family have been here all this time, hiding in secret. Welcome home."