The Wars of Ivory White (Book I: The Protector)

Chapter 30

Author's Note: I've been in a creative mode and haven't finished editing... if you want to read the rest of the story UNEDITED then go to my profile and select "The Protector." Start reading at chapter 23. Thanks.

CHAPTER 30

Tracy walked with confidence into the conference room of the large house. Six months ago, she was in this same place as a normal human being; just a regular person with modest beliefs and aspirations. Today a Protector. Still, she knew very little about what it all meant. After all, the world she had entered was like a fairy tale. But it was real. She had taken on a position of great honor. Such a high rank had set her apart from all the rest and she had to represent. At this point, whether she wanted to be a leader with supernatural powers was irrelevant. 

Elder John, Jonathan, Jordan, Gideon Blood, Erik, Jack, Carla, Reilly, and Landon all sat around the large round table. A few minutes later, Roger Evans entered the room followed by a flying Firelight. When he took his seat, the small sprite fluttered towards Carla like a maneuvering humming bird, jerking and shifting effortlessly in the air.

"Ah there's my darling." he said, the comment immediately upsetting Carla's mate. Twisting in his seat as Firelight hovered closer to where Carla sat, Jack jumped out his seat and growled at it loudly.

"Down doggie." Firelight said, flying up towards the ceiling  to land on a chandelier. "What's wrong with poochie?" he said, sitting on the rim of the lit fixture, his legs dangling from the side.

Angered by the inference, Jack began to shift. Noticing his change, Carla jumped up and wrapped her arms around his middle. Burying his face in the crook of her arm, he took a deep breath and calmed down.

"Good doggie.  Now roll over  and let go of my girlfriend." the sprite continued.

"Firelight stop it!" Carla demanded, irritated by the little being's antics.

"What? Don't get huffy with me Missy!" Firelight said with sass. "You're the one going around hugging strangers with your real boyfriend flying right here in front of you! Girl, you crazy.  But luckily for your very, very nice psycho booty, I'm in love with you. So I'll let it go."

This time both Jack and Carla started to get worked up, but Tracy stood up and intervened. "Firelight! stop it please or fly somewhere else.  We've got serious issues to discuss."

"The only issue I see is my girlfriend wrapped around wolf boy tighter than a drunk driver around an electric pole."

"That's a terrible and tragic analogy." Tracy said.

"I know. People didn't have electricity for 2 days." Firelight said dryly, as Reilly snorted with laughter.

"Moving on." Tracy said with an eye roll, "Are there any leads on the location of the lost journal."

"No." Gideon replied, anxious to get down to business.  "My nephew Isaiah must have hidden it well. He's been tortured everyday for the last 15 years and still refuses to talk."

"That's true dedication!" Reilly said. 

"How does someone not talk for 15 years?" Firelight interjected. "With all that sunlight, his eyeballs must have melted out his head by now."

Roger spoke up, "A man that endures great pain must be doing it for one of three reasons: revenge, insanity, or love."

A cold chill ran down Tracy's spine. The thought of someone being tortured for such a long period of time horrified her. "Can you take me to your nephew?"  she said, addressing the vampire while starring at him intensely.  "I might be able to locate the journal."