****REWRITING IN PROCESS****
A thousand years ago, seven stars sat illuminated in the night sky, surrounded by the moon, wrapped around its comfort and loving embrace, secured in the safety net that always provided them protection.
Too soon, it all...
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A super-duper loooong chapter. Enjoy! 💜
Get your tissues ready!
~
A knock sounded at the bedroom door.
"Come in," Darcy called as she shifted through the numerous stuff on the bed.
The door opened, and Jeremy's bed ruffled head peeked through the gap. He opened his mouth to speak but then paused, seeing what his sister was doing. Too curious for his own good he walked over and sat on the edge of the silver queen-size bed. His brown eyes examined the strange purple plants and jewellery.
"What are you doing?" He pondered, fingering an onyx elasticated bead bracelet.
Darcy paused, pushing the long dark tresses away from her face and looked up at her brother. "Oh, just putting vervain into this bracelet." She shrugged, twisting the encrusted skull head, then reaching over and securing it around Jeremy's wrist. "And making sure my little brother is safe."
Jeremy's brow furrowed as he peered at the bracelet, running his fingers over the smooth beads. "Do you not think I will be safe?"
Darcy lifted his head, eyes shining with fierce determination. "With me by your side, you'll always be safe. But that does not stop vampires from taking advantage of you, okay?" The hunter's heart clenched as her brother's eyes began to water.
"Hey, what's wrong?" She asked softly, reaching up and soothingly rubbing his cheeks.
Jeremy exhaled heavy, chin trembling and he attempted to reign in the oncoming tears. "Vicki...Will she be okay? What will happen now? What do we tell Matt?" He fired off rapid questions, his breathing escalating merging with his growing anxiety.
"Hey, shh. I'll answer your questions just take deep breaths for me, in and out. Do it with me." Darcy inhaled, held a few beats then slowly exhaled, Jeremy replicated. "That's it like that. Do it again a few more times." The youngest Gilbert did as instructed. "Good. Do you feel better?" He nodded.
When Jeremy seemed to have calmed down, she released his face and held his hands instead. Darcy knows her touch helps calm him down when he's worked up. She thought about Elena, who's probably in her room in a pissy mood after Darcy told Jeremy, Vicki had completed the transition. Whilst Darcy thinks Jeremy has the right to know what is happening in their home town, Elena believes he would be safer without knowing.
But how can their brother be safe without knowing what is out there? How can he protect himself against any vampire if he did not know how?
The answer is; he can't.
So Darcy will do that job for him, she'll give him a vervain bracelet to prevent compulsion, she would feel guilty if she somehow forgot to put the herb into his coffee in the mornings. She will also teach him the basics of combat and hunting. This is what Dad would have wanted. If Elena wanted to tag along, she's more than welcome, although Darcy couldn't imagine their sister being too fond of, shooting arrows into dummy's, she would probably stab someone in the eye brandishing a stake.
