Liesel was in rapture, her eyes wide and solely focused on her mother's words. She could feel Edouard beside her, his attention just as fixed as hers.
"Hunted and coveted by the undead, our kind has been in hiding ever since." Elizabeth finished sadly.
"But why are you out in the open then?" Edouard questioned, "Why aren't we hiding too?"
"My magic was taken from me long ago," Elizabeth sighed, "I've been a human ever since."
"Why was it taken from you?" Liesel asked curiously before Edouard had a chance.
Elizabeth smiled softly, "I fell in love with a human. Your father."
"Dad? But why would your magic be taken away because of that?" Liesel probed.
"Love with a mortal was forbidden, as decreed by the Elders. They wanted to keep our bloodlines going, and to mix blood with the humans would dilute us further. It was practical I suppose. But I was young and in love, I ignored their laws and warnings and went behind my family's backs."
"What happened?" Edouard asked in awe.
"I was caught. My father, your grandfather, was the Fae King of our coven and I'd been promised to a prince of another coven since birth who'd suspected my infidelity when I refused marriage. He followed me to your father's house and witnessed us together. I was only 16..." She murmured, "By Elders law I was stripped of my magic and banished from our lands, never to see my loved ones again. Little did they know, I'd already conceived two beautiful Fae children within my womb.
"Your father and I bought a house together, began to create a life. I gave myself a maiden name, Williams, as I was too young to marry. You were both only a year old when we were attacked. Vampires, of course. We ran, and ran. Two years of your lives was spent constantly running from these monsters. I knew it was taking its toll on your father, and that I had to do something. While he was sleeping I took the two of you to a Witch I'd only ever heard of by reputation. She cast a binding spell to bury your magic until you reached 25. 25 is the year of ascension for all Fae, and no magic could stop that but stripping your powers altogether. Something nobody but the Elder Fae know how to do. On the first full moon after your 25th birthday you will ascend to your powers and the Vampires will inevitably come for you. It's why I was so afraid Liesel... They could have easily kidnapped you. Your magic is boiling beneath the surface, I'm sure if a Vampire was old enough and close enough they could sense it.
"Anyway, I was so afraid for your father. I told him the only way I could keep him safe was if I left. He argued, refused to let me. I left him a note, telling him I would always love him but that this was for the best, and escaped to a tiny remote town. The town you both grew up in," She smiled warmly at the two, "I did this all for your protection... I was so scared that maybe the binding hadn't worked, and of course I couldn't actually test it out and see. I had to leave your father for that exact reason. He deserved a normal life. When you were 17 I heard news through a Witch Doctor that a Vampire was in our town. I immediately packed us up and that's when I decided for a life in America. Your father never forgave me... And for a while he didn't stop searching for us. As you both know it was only in recent years that I've let you have contact with him. It's safe now, that he has a wife and everything."
Liesel was shocked. Her mother had been through so much... She'd broken her own heart to keep the people she loved safe. Even though Elizabeth put on a brave face, Liesel could feel the pain emanating from her. Crossing to the other couch, she wrapped a comforting arm around her mother, who'd always been somewhat of a sister to her rather than a mom.
"I'm sorry," Liesel whispered as Edouard crossed to the other side and held their mother's hand, "You've sacrificed so much for us."
"It was worth it Leece," Elizabeth chuckled, wiping a tear that had escaped from her eyes. "I've raised two beautiful children and watched them grow up into incredible people because of it."
Liesel smiled and hugged her mother tightly, grateful she had someone like her in her life.
"Wait," Her brother asked suddenly, "Is this why you have white hair?"
Liesel and her mother both looked at each other before bursting into peals of laughter.
"What?" He asked incredulously, "You've had it for as long as I can remember, I've always wondered why!"
Elizabeth smiled, "Sort of. Stripping my powers drained the colour from my hair. It was once just as blonde as yours." She chuckled, tugging her son's hair playfully.
"Ouch!" He had complained, retaliating by scruffing up Elizabeth's perfectly styled hair. This had resulted in a tackling war which had them all laughing hysterically.
Liesel rolled out of bed, wrapping her thin cotton dressing gown around herself as she padded softly to the old computer on her desk. After logging on, she thrummed her fingers against the mouse impatiently as she waited for the internet to connect. Damn dial-up connection. When was her mother ever going to update this thing?
The second Google popped up, Liesel typed in one word.
"Vila."
An array of sites were listed down the page, a few of them mentioning something about Harry Potter. Ignoring them, she clicked on the Wikipedia link to "Slavic Faeries".
Liesel needed to know more about the creature she apparently was. Her violet eyes skimmed the page as she read through the information, demanding to know more. She read that Vila lived in the wilderness, that they had the ability to appear as animals. Vila were fierce warriors, with healing and prophetic gifts and the power to control storms when angered. They lure men and women into dance, and hunt with a bow and arrow. Faerie rings of thick grass are left wherever they dance, and it is said to bring bad luck to step upon one. Liesel was sure most of this was probably myth, but it still appeased her to know more about her supposed heritage.
If Elizabeth was right then yes, Liesel was a Fae and so was her brother. A Vila to be exact. She didn't have long to wait to see if her mother was telling the truth. The full moon was tomorrow night. She wasn't prepared for this to be happening so soon, but at least she'd finally get the answers she desperately craved for. It suddenly struck her that Rafe had no idea about her apparent alter-ego. She wondered how he would react if it turned out to be true...
