END ROADS

CHAPTER 48:MY LITTLE COUNCIL

“Are you okay?” I asked carefully trying not to shift my position since my feet were already tired from the standing.
“I think I am” he answered slowly.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you or trigger sad memories. Am really sorry” I spoke carefully.
“It wasn’t your fault….I wouldn’t have known if you didn’t mention it all to me” he paused sniffing as quietly as possible “I blamed her Becky. When we were young I envied all my step brothers and sisters. They all had their mothers to stand beside them all the time, had someone to laugh with ask questions and learn from. But me, I was raised by a human maiden, she loved me yes and cared about me but I still lacked. The attention love and compassion from a mother. I didn’t have that and I thought mom left me. Daddy was sorrowful most of the time and since I had developed the skill of reading minds earlier than anyone has. I always read his mind, I couldn’t control it, I didn’t know how” he paused for a long minute.
“He loved her the most. He was hollow, even with a whole seven wives after the eight which was my mom, he still felt hollow. His heart, body and soul craved for her. He cried sometimes, he spoke to the wind and always sniffed her clothes read her journals about the moments they shared and sought her in the realm of dreams. He blamed me, he thought she left because I was a weird child, or she wasn’t ready to have one. He saw me as the terminator of their perfect love story.”
“Later, he found her letter it didn’t have only the love words and expressions of the experience she had. It didn’t have her name it was only written “your sweet wife”
“She told him she had to leave for the wellbeing of her son. I thought that would erase the hate, but it ignited it more. He always said ‘half of me is gone because of a weird son who can’t discover his powers at all’ that killed me. Then he sought refuge in Dermot’s mother who cared about me from the start then she took Adelyn and me in as her children when I was a teenager. Even if I had a shoulder I still wished I had a mother of my own”
He finished and I was almost tearing but held back he needed to be calmed down. And crying as well could make things even sour than they already were. So I held myself together and focussed on calming him down it is what I could only do.

“Did you find anything about the blood vows I made and the wings stuff or the booklet I read those things from?” he asked.
I huffed leaning back on the sofa lazily.
“Nothing. I was lucky to have found that hidden tale in the first place. It seemed to have been written in haste and even the writer didn’t sign or leave a name. The remaining pages were blank. I think it might have been written long ago and there was no one to keep the record of the remaining information”
He was about to ask another question when the door was banged loud. He sighed tiredly before snapping his fingers for the door to open. Was he using his dark side with no second thought?
Abi, Ethan, Sandy, Xavier, Adelyn, Elia, Dom and Ari entered the room silently before locking the door. They all occupied the available seats silently. I studied them closely, except from Sandy… everyone else was gloomy. Dom and Elia were sitting closely to one another, Abi had y beside her, and Adelyn was far off. Xavier and Ethan were sitting on the double sofa together… those two… there was a question about them. Then Ari was beside Grey on the single sofa.
Abi cleared her throat, she was about to speak when the door swung open breaking off its hinges. We were both startled staring at the door with jaws hitting the floor.
Clark!
He smiled awkwardly holding the door to cover the entrance.
“Sorry, I had no idea the hinges were old” he said casually
“For your information those are brand new” Ari spoke. Clark laughed nervously scratching the back of his neck.
“Dot worry they can be repaired” that was Grey. Clark calmed a bit before sneaking over to my side and sat beside me.
I stared at the door for a moment looking for the separated points and how I could fix it. I had read it on the spell book, fixing with the mind. Slowly I begun reconnecting the hinges slowly then finally the whole door was intact. I snapped out too soon and the door closed in a bang making everyone face me. I noticed my eyes had changed colour. I blinked my brown eyes back looking at them like a kid caught stealing. Clark saved me the explanation.
“You guys were walking so fast” he complained.
“You were busy flirting” Abi sneered.
I glared at him “Don’t tell me…
“Of course not Becky I swear I will only sleep with Regina and no one else. She is the only one I promise!” he bubbled and I wanted to tape his mouth instantly.
“Clark?!” I scolded
Everyone else except Grey was staring at the both of us suspiciously. I bit my lip in frustration… stupid boy!
“Regina? You know her? She is your mate? Wow… but… but she is dead!” Sandy asked slowly
“How the hell did Regina come in?” Adelyn asked
“Wait, I think there is something you two plus Grey you are not telling us. Come on we are buddies spill it out” Xavier spoke.
I lowered my head sneaking into Grey’s mind.
“What should I do?”
“Those are your cards to play” he answered relaxed and I wanted to smack his face. I glared at him. What was I hiding it anyway? But it felt wrong telling the story to them especially Adelyn!
“I met Regina through a dream she told me she is not dead but David used a spell that worked different from expectations. The spell separated his body and spirit and now she is trapped. She can’t reunite with her body” I paused for a moment counting heartbeats to relax my nerves “She told me Grey’s mate; Becky…” they gasped “I believe that is not me. Will be the one to retrieve her. So when I escaped in spirit form to go stop the fight between Grey and Dom. We used Regina’s body”
Some gasped others stared at me suspiciously.
“How could you leave in spirit form?” Elia asked
I bit my lip fiddling with my fingers, this felt wrong “Flora helped me”
“Flora? The lost princess of the northern crescent castle?” Xavier bluttered and I nodded slowly.
“You are… strange!” Dom commented quietly.
I wanted to cry “We also met in a dream she told me she didn’t die or something of sort as she says. She simply turned into mist, stayed so for years since the witches were moving to another dimension then came back as a human got married and had kids. She didn’t tell me who the husband is, who the kids are or what happened later”
“And why should she tell you all that?” Ari asked.
“I don’t know but she believes I got something valuable and she doesn’t want me to lose it?” I replied glancing at the amazed faces.
“How so?” Ari again.
“Before I met Flora, I met Felicity!” everyone gasped and cursed multiple times.
“Forbid!”
“Evil!”
“Hypocrite!”
“A devil incarnate!”
I sighed.
“What did she tell you?” Elia asked slowly.
“That with my power I can destroy everything just by touch. I can be superior over all other beings that they all fall on my feet in submission and respect. That power is all I needed to seek. Then again she said there is one man… a vampire who can turn me into a puppet even when I have gone berserk!” I explained uncomfortably.
“We sometimes feel your dominant power when you change, we submit at heart” that was Dom and it pricked my heart.
“You surely can be a destruction Becky. I think this is a war between sisters. One wants you heartless and beastly while the other wants you compassionate and thoughtful” they all nodded agreeing to Arianna’s declaration.
“So the princess is not dead, where is she?” asked Adelyn.
“She never mentioned and she knows almost everything about everyone in every coven”
“How?”
“She just said sometimes she knows things and it is not up to her to know them or not” I responded sighing audibly
“”So she told you everything?” Xavier inquired.
“She only told me what I needed to know” I answered the silly guy
“Like?” he asked again eager
“You are stupid” I teased and everyone laughed hard before the cold atmosphere sneaked in again.
“How did you two know Regina is Clark’s mate?” Sandy asked all smiles.
“Well, I was given her body to use. By Flora’s help my spirit was able to occupy her body which looks very much like a life body. Then she sent me off after cleaning up” I responded quickly.
“How does it feel?” Sandy’s eyes sparkled.
“A little weird, it is like having two people in one body. The body wants what it wants and you want what you want. Then when I met Clark, it was confusing for him. He wasn’t sure” gazes shifted to Clark who scratched his neck awkwardly.
“Yeah I… I detected a scent of my mate then another scent of a claimed being” he answered nervously.
“Claimed?” Adelyn erupted.
“Yeah something of sort like her spirit was already bound with another vampire but the body was obedient to me” Clark explained slowly and carefully.
“Then it might be the vampire she has ever been intimate with” Ari suggested.
“It just can’t be any possibly she has been intimate with her mate severally but she doesn’t know it or he doesn’t want to tell her” Ethan continued.
“That is a question for Becky to answer” spoke Elia.
My heart flipped and hit my chest hard that I could feel it in my ears. Was Grey my mate… no, no, no this is possibly a mistake!
“So who have you been making out with ha?” Xavier asked playfully, I lowered my head swallowed, and squeezed my eyes shut. I stiffened gathering energy to answer the question then he himself spoke.
“It’s me!” my heart sunk and I wanted to hide beneath the earth. He hasn’t spoken from the start and now he is declaring something he is supposed to be ashamed of?
“Then you might be her mate, right? You should claim her before the end of the twelfth month. Things will turn ugly after that” Abi advised. Things turn ugly? I looked up quickly.
“What will happen?” I almost screamed
“He will go rogue and that will be the same for the whole coven bond to him. Then we all will be hunting you… for revenge!” Adelyn answered slowly that chills cascaded down my spine!
He will go rogue… the whole coven will go rogue… and they all will be hunting me. And now that I had my own people they won’t allow it that I would be killed. They will fight my enemy since my enemy is their enemy and that… means war!
Again!
I wouldn’t be any different from my father who caused war and many lost their mates if war arose and I destroyed people I wouldn’t be different from what Felicity wanted me to be!
I felt sick. So if am his mate which I doubted… he should claim me earlier. I was about to finalize when he spoke.
“She is not my mate. We could be intimate and so her spirit is too addicted to mine since am the first man she has been intimate with” that embarrassed me big time “It is a physical attraction with nothing integrated in it. Don’t overthink and if she was my mate I would have claimed her long ago. I have been alone for two centuries who wouldn’t claim his mate after such length of loneliness? So please don’t think too much okay, I wouldn’t risk my life and that of a whole coven that way”
That made sense.
They all remained quiet for long then agreed on Grey’s words.
“Anyway you should find a mate soon. Travel around and bring her home” Ari said to Grey.
He smirked his eyes holding mine “No need to travel, I know exactly where she is. She owns my heart without her knowledge and I stole hers too long ago. Soon, very soon you will all see her”
“She is a luck one, you are in love with her yet you don’t know who she is. You know the specific coven?” asked Abi.
“No I don’t but I sense it is not too far” he answered his gaze still on me. Was he trying to make me feel jealous because I am not his mate?
“Ok then let’s leave that where it is. So how comes the rogues now got a leader who’s Becky. The ritual is painful am sure Regina has lost a place of residing if you performed it in her body” spoke Elia
“I don’t know how the ritual is done or what exactly happened. I was removed from Regina’s body and it was sent back to its casket. Then I was blindfolded all I could feel was pain then I was travelling between light and darkness. At last I woke up on that bed”
“You scared us all” Sandy said “When you turned cold for days, then you were screaming and floating a meter or so above the bed as if in pain. We thought you died”
“Am sorry, but it had to happen. I had to save them” I spoke sincerely.
“Why did you save them?” asked Ethan
“I heard the girls talk about how they got to be rogues, then I knew a vampire couldn’t leave her mate just like that for the sake of exploring the world. It is either they leave together or sacrifice the exploration for the mate. I felt Elia’s loneliness and despair. I knew if Dom died, it would be worse for her. And as a miracle… Flora was there ready to help” I answered and silence prevailed for a few seconds.
“You are right” Elia sobbed “Thank you”
I was dumbstruck but I just nodded.
“I heard a lot of vampires have found their mates in the bunch you own now. You saved a lot of hearts. They are happy because of your doing” Ari added.
“And if you didn’t accept to be the one to stop the fight. I wouldn’t have found my mate, and I wouldn’t have known she is somewhere waiting for a saviour so she could be with me” Clark spoke emotionally. I patted his back and rubbed it gently.
“And we wouldn’t have found another friend to be part of the crew” Ethan smiled at me as he winked at Clark.
“And a warrior to be part of my team” Abi punched Dom’s biceps playfully.
“And a beautiful soul with brilliant blue eyes” Sandy added and we were confused for a moment. She blinked.
“Oh, you didn’t know” she laughed “There is a lady who bore a vamp girl with wonderful eyes like her mate. She was heavy on arrival so I stole her into the room next to mine with her mate” she clapped “The girl is so lovely and oh, I named her Cherry… her cheeks are so chubby and rosy” she giggled happily.
“That is great news. So we have the silver ones as well? We surely would have lost wonderful vampires. Then it means the golden ones might be present as well” Elia spoke eyes sparkling.
“What the hell is that?” I asked blankly
“Oh for vampires it is rare to bear children, just like it is rare to find gold and silver. So we name them the silver ones… those who bear one child at a time and the golden ones bear more than two. Although the greatest number we have had is three” Elia answered happily.
“Wow that is great. I thought it was only royals who bear” I said
“For royals it is normal, but the others it is a miracle” Elia smiled broadly
I digested for a moment then nodded at last.
“We forgot the main agenda for sitting here. It was you Becky!” my eyes widened at Grey’s words.
“Me, we have been talking about me the whole time” I complained.
“Maybe this day was all yours then” he smirked playfully and I rolled my eyes at him. “We are talking about your abilities or powers”
“What about them?”
“You got to stop using them” he said and I felt sad.
…One special man who can turn you into the most helpless being in the world…
I scowled as the words echoed in my mind.
“But I have just got them” I complained
“That is why you need to stop using them” he affirmed.
“But…
“Listen to me Becky, you are developing those powers. None of us know how destructive they can be. The other day you wiped trained soldiers in less than five minutes” my eyes widened, less than five minutes?
“Then today you almost turned the library into ashes. Are you aware Arthur fell from the eighth floor to the ground weak and unguarded? Then you showed no remorse you sealed the opening as if nothing happened. That is why I need you to stop using your abilities” he finalized, but I wasn’t going to play meek.
“He wanted to harm you, he was clawed Grey and was aiming for your spine. Am pretty sure you know the damage that can cause, right?” I asked seeking a getaway.
“I know but still you need to stop”
“I can’t harm any of you here, only your enemies”
“Am aware of that Becky but I have watched you fight, twice that is. You are so clouded with anger and vengeance and the only thing in mind is tearing flesh into pieces. You might be aiming the damage for the enemy but mistakes do happen especially when we are seeing red” he explained patiently
“What if someone attacks you and am there. I just watch?”
“Yes” he rumbled
“But your senses haven’t recovered” I tilted my head
“I can manage”
I remained silent for a while then whispered “but you said I should pro…”
“I know and you will be keeping that promise by refraining from using your powers” he responded hastily. He didn’t want the others to hear what he asked me to promise? But why?
“It is a good idea Becky. Your powers come along with an aura that can cause anything and anyone to submit to you. That will definitely imply we be fearful of you because of your power. I think if you refrain you will be a normal Becky with vampire friends” Sandy smiled broadly.
“Okay… fine I won’t use them. I promise”
“You break it, then I will punish you myself. Fifty strokes on your back, and I won’t promise that I won’t explore the lower part ha?”
Grey!
They laughed at me.
“I won’t promise if there is another pervert who would dare grope me again” I warned.
“Of course not. It is all mine” that look!
I glanced the other way as they laughed and teased me.
Clark leaned in “You two would be such a perfect couple. I can smell your chemistry in the air”
I snorted “He is a jerk” I crossed my hands over my chest pouting
Clark laughed his heart out mindlessly.
“We gotta go it is almost five, am starving” Dom said
“Starving or you two are off for a quickie?” Xavier raised a brow. He was the most shameless being I know so far.
“Watch your tongue kid” Dom warned though he sounded playful. Clark lifted his arms in surrender.
“Okay daddy” and the laughter was in air again. Adelyn and Arianna left as well. The jumpy Sandy dragged Abi out. The two weird ones were sitting together whispering and giggling then Xavier suddenly said.
“Bro, let’s go as well. We got other love birds in here they might be wishing for a quickie too” He dragged Ethan out laughing at my red face. I finally sighed once they were gone then I stood up to leave as well. A growl erupted at the pit of my stomach. I glared at Grey.
“Don’t do that” I warned.
“You can’t blame me. It happens out of instincts”
“You dark side is so possessive, and am not even your mate. What if your mate shows up, she won’t be lucky at all” I said.
He jumped to my side swooping me over to the bed. His arms wrapped tightly around me I panicked.
“What now? I need a bath after beating that pervert to pulp” I said.
“Later, right now I wanna hold you just like this” he responded.
“Flirty” I rolled my eyes “I want to bath” then he rolled over me staring down deep into my brown eyes. I drowned in the green eyes.
“I think am in love Becky” he said, I swallowed watching his Adams apple bobble and my heart gave a loud thud almost shaking my whole being.
“Don’t say things like that Grey… am not your mate” I said slowly
“I know” he swallowed “But let me say it. You complete me Becky. I have never felt whole till the moment I met you. You may not understand but the world is so grey without you in it”
“What if…”
He cut in “If she comes… I can’t plan what will happen but what I know right now is… I just need you here, beside me around me. You are the only candle that hasn’t extinguished and if I don’t have you, am walking in the dark. Making a gamble of life”
“Grey… I don’t know… I don’t know what to say”
“Then if you don’t have anything to say… just hold me for a moment okay? Let me have you warm and close… that is enough. It is better than nothing” then he embraced me.
I had a lot to say, to tell him it all that I love him and I care about him but… I couldn’t. I am not his mate, it is physical attraction with a few emotions sneaking in here and there. If I give my heart to it I wouldn’t be able to pull out when I find myself chewing my own tail. So let it be plain, let it be colourless but with him close… in my arms!
“Don’t cry… am sorry don’t cry” he soothed wiping my tears. I actually didn’t notice I was crying. “You are so cute with that pink nose” he teased wiping my tears and I smiled at him.
“Will you stop teasing me and just kiss me?”
“I will my princess” he grinned and obeyed.
That is my lovely, charming vampire prince!