~BOOK 4/PART ONE~ Paranormal: The Battle's Only Just Begun (Multi-Bandom FanFic)

Chapter 2

Patrick stopped in front of the corner of St. Joseph and Fulton. A building to the left was closed off, and only the street lights kept him company. Just a few minutes standing in the dark brought back the events from several months ago. This was where the singer's life spiraled out of control. It was the day when he became trapped in New Orleans forever; it was the start of his demise.

He heard tires rub against the asphalt and looked back to see a dark black Camero pull into the area. Two bodies left the car, one of which belonged to Kenya, the other to Halsey.

"Ashley," Patrick muttered under his breath, shocked to see her, "W-What are you doing here?"

"I had to bring her with me," Kenya stated while looking around and paying attention to the sounds and smells passing through the evening, "She was being followed."

"Apparently she's protecting me," His daughter tacked on, an adolescent-like annoyance to her tone as she brought her hand up and examined her nails.

"Well now daddy's here to take over," Kenya shot back while staring over her shoulder.

"What did you want to talk about, Kenya?" The vampire asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"The demon problem is getting worse," The wolf disclosed while heaving a heavy sigh and running her hands through her hair, "I need to leave town for a few days in order to get us the proper help we need."

"So what are you still doing here, then?"

"I need you to do something for me while I'm gone." She looked at him, trying to see if she could trust him. "I need you, my brother, and Rachael to get everyone in every faction together and make a pact, a peace treaty of some sort, just until we get this demon situation under control."

The vampire laughed, throwing the werewolf off. "You're crazy! Have you lost your mind? The factions aren't going to come together, no matter who you get to try to unite them. We've got too much bad blood between us to just be pushed aside."

"Patrick, this is the only way. You saw what that thing did to everyone in just a matter of months," Kenya protested, "If we don't form a united front, the demon won't be the one to tear us apart, our hatred will."

"Yeah, and you want to know why that demon did what he did? Because of me. He was fulfilling my deepest, darkest desires I didn't have the guts to do myself. I mean, sure, he sought to do a little more than what I had imagined, but it was basically my doing. So you're asking the wrong person to help you here."

"I know you don't want every faction to be at war forever," Kenya stated, knowing she had to appeal to Patrick's peaceful side, "I started this hatred and you started the war, but - together - we can end this."

"Look, I appreciate you wanting to right all of your wrongs, but I just got out of the hospital and I'm really not in the mood to get myself involved in another war."

"Maybe I'm not making myself clear. There is a demon out there and it's bound to some new paranormal. It has spawns running around, and they're looking to kill more of our kind. They came after your daughter, Patrick. How long before they come after Rachael, or Joe, or Peter? How long before he comes after the rest of your clan?"

Patrick hung his head. "I'm only a vampire, Kenya. How do you expect me to fight him? I couldn't fight him before, what makes you think I can fight him now?"

"I don't need you to fight anyone. I need you to unite everyone."

The vampire scoffed. "Don't you get it, Kenya? There is no unity in the paranormal world. We're all here, just fending for ourselves. The only thing we have keeping us together is the fact that we can't have the humans figuring out we're not like them."

"You couldn't be more wrong. And I'd never ask you to go through this alone, because no paranormal would take the word of one man. Look, you want change, and this is your chance to make it happen. "

"Yeah, Dad," Halsey finally chimed in, "You always talked about how you wanted things to be different when I was younger, so what changed?"

"You, Rachael, and Jack can make that happen," Kenya continued to try and persuade him, "Three different people, from three of the major factions. You convince each faction that making a treaty and fighting together is the right play, we may have a chance at surviving."

Patrick shook his head in disbelief and ran his fingers through his hair. "You guys don't get it. Jack hates us and Rachael's gone. Your plan isn't going to work! It can't even begin!"

"Jack hates the fact that he doesn't fit in. From what I could tell, he was defending your friend, Peter, against me. Me. He wouldn't do that unless he truly trusted him. He's not like me, he's different, and he'll help you. As for Rachael, she's different as well. You said that she was friends with me, then she has to be a part of this. All I'm asking is for you to try, Patrick."

He heaved a sigh and shrugged his shoulders. "You know what? Fine. Whatever. I'll try. But don't blame me if your stupid plan doesn't work. I know paranormals, Kenya. You've been on the wrong side of the battle for a long time; you don't know understand what it's like to be us. We do what we need to in order to survive on our own."

"This is a part of my own self guilt, but this is what's best. I've tried to hold on to the ways of my old pack. Wolf survival was key; it was the way I was raised, bred, and taught. Brutus made sure to tell me that vampires, witches, shapeshifters, humans are not meant to have control. But now I see and know that he and I were wrong. I'm done trying to contain the paranormals and humans in this town. It's time for a change, and you and the others have to be the ones to spark it." With that, the she wolf walked away from the vampire and his daughter over to her car, getting in and starting it up. Patrick moved over to her window and Kenya rolled it down.

"What if it gets out of control?" He questioned, "What if I can't get the other factions to agree?"

"My brother is one of the oldest and strongest lycans around, and Rachael - from what I hear - could wipe an entire town out," Kenya responded, "You'll succeed, I know it."

"I know you've been gone a while, Kenya," He muttered, looking down at her, "But I'm not the same person I used to be, and neither is Rachael. I get you want this to happen, and it would be groundbreaking if it actually does, but it's nearly impossible."

"You must've forgotten that I can't remember who I used to be or what I am now, so I understand if there is a struggle, but you can't afford to fail," The she wolf reminded him while gripping the steering wheel, "If you fail, then we're going to die. No one will be anyone, and we'll have the biggest body count this city has ever seen. Patrick, he's winning right now. You unite these people, and half of this war is won." She rolled the window back up and shifted the car into drive, pulling away from the road and leaving Patrick and Halsey behind. The vampire groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"So, um, I know this is kind of a bad time to ask..." The hybrid interrupted the silence that had fallen over the two of them, attracting her father's attention, "...but you guys didn't get rid of my bedroom, did you? It's just...it's not really safe for me to go back my place...and I kind of haven't been paying my bills either, so..." Her voice trailed off as she flashed her dad a wide smile. Patrick rolled his eyes.