Power's Seekers (Supernatural and Teen Wolf)

Follow the Power

Somewhere in the rich part of town, among the mass of billion-dollar houses, was a well-groomed forest. In the center of that meticulously gardened greenspace resided a small family of four in their hidden mansion. Everyone knew they lived there, but only the highest of ranks ever received access to visit. The reclusive family had their reasons, though: unlike the hundred or so of their Beverly Hills neighbors, these unique four were vampires.

"Kids, did I tell you about the Nemeton?" Mr. Roger Roman announced from the entryway, setting his briefcase down gently on the glossy wood table.

A young boy and girl poked their heads into the room. "Yes, Dad?"

"Did I ever tell you," he paused, unbuttoning his blazer and vest. "About the druid tree," he set the clothes on top of his briefcase, "at the center of the world?"

Callie and Justin exchanged mildly interested looks. "No, dad," Callie, the older, told him. "You never told us about the Nimaton."

"Nemeton, I think," Justin corrected her.

Mr. Roman strode to the kitchen as the kids trailed after him. "The Nemeton," he declared, "is a powerful tree of which the location is nearly entirely unknown. Now, do you know why this is?" Callie and Justin shook their heads no. "It's a great source of spiritual power that comes from a special series of human sacrifice. Druids called it their sacred space. Remember what I told you druids are?"

"Wise oaks," the siblings replied in unison.

"And darachs?"

"Dark oaks."

"Nowadays, only darachs perpetrate sacrifices. But," he turned around swiftly, "A darach has risen. The nemeton is radiating energy and I feel it!" He stared directly at his children, his eyes glinting. "The nemeton is pulling me and I would like nothing more than to be the first of our kind to find it."

"Will you?" Justin questioned.

"Yes. Yes!" Mr. Roman switched into CEO mode, like Callie and Justin often witnessed him do when he walked into Ralicom meetings. "Your mother agrees. She can feel the beacon too and we leave tomorrow!"

Callie and Justin's eyes widened in shock. "Us, too?" Callie asked.

"Tomorrow?" Justin yelped.

Mr. Roman gave them his best fatherly expression. "You must feel the power, too! I know, Justin, tomorrow is much too long a wait, but we do have to take in consideration all the other factors. What our motto?"

"Nullam in primis, insilias paratus," they answered, "Jump in first, but jump in prepared."

"Insilias paratus," he repeated. "Pack a few days' worth of clothes, some entertainment, and snacks. Expect a long trip. Depending on how guarded the Nemeton is, our stay will last from a day to a week or longer. Any questions?"

"What about lessons?" Callie wondered.

"You've learned everything a young vampire needs to know already. Consider your formal education finished. Anything else?"

"How do you know where we're going?" Justin asked.

"Senses, my boy. We will follow the power."

***

If the Roman family weren't billionaires, the process would have taken twice as long. Throughout the roadtrip, Mrs. Jacinda Roman kept the shotgun window permanently rolled down, no matter how noisy, windy, cold, or thick with buzzing insects the air became. She stuck her head out of it every ten minutes, breathing deeply into the changing air. Then, she would point at a certain turn or freeway entrance, winding the polished Prius farther and farther away from yesterday's home.

Callie and Justin sat in the back, bored to death. With packs of stored blood in the ice chest and Mr. Roman's perpetual educational stories, the siblings were nowhere as enthusiastic as their parents about their quest for the Nemeton.

After about ten hours of uninterrupted driving, save for two gas stops, Mrs. Roman began to fidget in her car seat ecstatically. "I can feel it, Roger! The power! It's radiating from beyond those hills!"

Callie and Justin stared outside drearily, wondering what was so special about some rolling, goldenrod foothills. The gold was clearly from a common northern California invasive weed. The same hue had been eminent among hills and valleys for miles.

The car bumped through a dirt road. Mrs. Roman check the maps. "Turn onto the next freeway. It will lead right into Beacon Hills. And it will lead to our fortune."

"Beacon Hills?" Justin asked. Having never left the Los Angeles area, he had no idea where he was.

"Yes, fledgling," Mrs. Roman answered. "It's the city that houses the Nemeton. It's calling to me."

—

The family parked their luxury car in the driveway of what seemed to Callie and Justin a random suburban home.

"Out, family!" Mr. Roman chirped, pulling a set of keys from his pocket. "Welcome to your new home!"

Mrs. Roman glided around to lift suitcases out of the trunk, as unperturbed as ever. Callie and Justin exchanged a wary glance, unsure of this turn of events.

"I thought we were staying in a hotel?" Callie spoke.

"Please," her mother chided. "We have no idea how long this process will take. I called my secretary to rent us an empty house."

The siblings followed their parents into the house, glancing around. It lacked furniture, except for a large square table in the the kitchen and and couch against the wall.

"Um," Callie said, "Where will we sleep?"

Mrs. Roman swept her glance around the room. "Unfortunately, this is all rather last-minute. You two will have to make do with the sofa."

"What about you and Dad?"

Mr. Roman dropped a suitcase on the floor. "Fledgling, we'll be out searching for the Nemeton. There isn't a moment to waste."

Shortly after the family moved everything from the trunk into the house, Mr. and Mrs. Roman kissed their children goodnight and left out the front door to find their fortunes.

The next morning, they still hadn't come back. Callie and Justin waited around anxiously all day, but their parents never came back.

A/N: Hey guys! What do you think happened? Remember to vote and leave a comment <33