The Eldritch Trials

Chapter 12: The lies

Shane

There are people I expect to find in abandoned cemeteries after midnight. My stuck up, posh, brother isn't one of them.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, lowering his amplifier of choice, a smooth dagger, custom made I'm sure.
"Looking for the kids," I sigh, turning off my flashlight, "I traced them here then it went cold."
"That means they reached the gate—it's a dead zone for magic and —wait kids? More than one?" Alec asks, frowning.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"I'm getting my son," he says, a bit disgusted.
"So am I," I say, walking away from him.
"Wh—-what?" I think he starts having a heart attack so that really dampens my dramatic exit and I have to come back and poke him lightly till he starts breathing again.
"Mac—the kid you've seen hanging out with Gale if you paid attention? He's my son," I sigh. I suppose he was going to find out eventually. I didn't think he'd have a nervous break down.
"What—he is?" He asks, shaking his head, "What—when?"
"Like sixteen years ago, can we walk?" I ask, motioning onward, "You just said you knew where the gate was. Which way are we going?"
"This way, this way—when—you have a child?" He asks, looking at me.
"Yes. An illegitimate child, so save it, because it's been over and I know," I say.
"Why didn't you tell me you'd had a child—?" He asks, hurt registering in his voice.
"Because it was out of wedlock and I didn't want to hear the Puritanical lecture I was going to get—,"
"Bullshit, you love tuning me out," he stops walking, "You enjoy it! It's like your second favorite hobby! Not listening when I talk to you!"
"Like now?" I mutter.
"That's it—no you don't get to be mad about this," he catches my shoulder and spins me around, "I'm not our father, I'm sure as hell not your father. It's not my job to lecture you—,"
"Oh—has that ever stopped you from trying?" I ask, folding my arms.
"Is that what this is? You telling me now—what—how long have you known?" he asks, starting walking again but still shining his flashlight on me.
"Forever, okay—I mean since she had the kid I don't—it's not like that—I pay for his school and—doctor bills with the money I get off hunting, that's it, he's my kid," I shrug, walking on.
"Why wouldn't you tell me?" He asks, frowning.
I sigh, looking up at the sky, "Because it was sixteen years ago! Okay? You and Anita—you couldn't have a kid. It was hell for you I knew that and —how was I supposed to tell you I'd gotten my girlfriend pregnant, by mistake? It was an accident, of course it was—we were stupid. How could I tell you that when you'd tried for years to have your own? Plus—he was really sick, Mac was, he still is but, we didn't even know if he was gonna make it. So I figured if he'd die then me not telling you didn't matter. It was only going to hurt you. Then it didn't—get any easier I guess."
"You could have told me," he says, quietly.
"I guess. Like I said. Didn't get any easier. I wasn't even there when he was born so you know," I shrug.
"Who was the mother?" He asks.
"She used to work at the manor," I say.
"Doesn't narrow it down," he mutters.
"You wouldn't know her, and it doesn't matter," I say, "Point is, that's why I'm here. I'm going to get my kid."
"So am I," he says, quietly, "I'm sorry you—you should have told me. Did you even really—did you like this girl?"
"Yeah," I sigh, "I still do, if you care—,"
"If I care—what is this? Shane, of course I care I—,"
"Well, I'm sorry but usually it only feels like you care if it's embarrassment to the family name which, guess what, this fucking is so I'm sorry if I felt like telling you was going to result in a PR discussion."
"Would have, but you seem like you had a fine time keeping it a secret," he mutters.
"I don't keep him secret you're like the only person who doesn't know. Hell, Anita probably knows," I scoff.
"I don't think she does," breathing a bit heavily.
"Well, Gale knows."
"He does!?"
"What, you think I'm going to corrupt your nice and obedient child into a life of debauchery if he knows I had a kid out of wedlock?"
"No, no, ignore me," he says, kind of walking ahead of me.
"I usually do," I sigh.

Mac

I knew we were going to find a gateway to a magical Labyrinth in an odd place, but I just didn't expect it to be inside a Denny's.
"This is —it?" Gale asks, as we step inside. It's rather crowded, and smells more burnt than of fries. The fluorescent lights flicker at our entrance but the patrons don't seem to notice.
"Well, the Denny's wasn't here last time I was, however," Jade shrugs a little.
"Is there —anyway —we think these patrons are just normal patrons or are they undead?" I ask, pleasantly.
"Definitely undead," Jade says, checking a device on one of her many bracelets.
"Well, where do we think the gateway is?" Gale asks, reasonably.
"Probably in the back room?" Jade says, looking around, "We can cast the spell to find it but—,"
All of the patrons stand up at once, throwing off hoods and readying knives. All vampires. Great. My hand tightens on the sliver blade under my jacket.
"I'll cast, you direct the spells," Jade informs me. It's common practice to draw blood so an exhausted fellow warlock doesn't have to. I'm not exhausted, but I am much more fragile than either of my friends.
"Hi, we're not here for the Labyrinth, we're here for different reasons all together," Gale says, as the vampires begin to circle us.
"Yes, that don't have to do with us knowing about the labyrinth," I agree.
"You're still a tasty snack," one of the vampire's says.
"Want to bet?" I ask, drawing the silver blade. A few skitter back.
"Yeah, might not want to cross us," Gale says, holding up a cross necklace, "Step aside."
The regular patrons and employees don't even react to this little stand off, but then, it is a Denny's.
The vampire's shuffle, to be clear, at this point, we could probably move past them without a fight, since we're all wearing religious symbols and I'm carrying a silver weapon.
However, I was raised by a legendary vampire hunter, and Gale's father is a legendary vampire hunter. There was no way that we weren't going to wind up in a vampire brawl.
"Oh my gods you two—," Jade says as Gale and I dive to attack. For some reason I don't think she was a going to finish that with "are amazing, thank you for being the way you are."