“Don’t worry about the Talbots. Just trust me. Give me a day, and I’ll get Jane to bring their whole pack on board,” Frank had promised that morning, his eyes locking with mine. He didn’t waste a second after that, heading straight out the door to find Jane. He knew that if she understood everything, she'd bring all the power of her world, and we both knew how much that mattered. It wasn’t a full moon, but the wolves were formidable even in human form, especially in numbers.
Next, I hesitated before making the call to the Wicklows. I had braced myself for a difficult conversation, but when Bartley answered, I realized the situation was less complicated than I had anticipated.
“You don’t need to make any moves yet,” he spoke first. His tone calm, almost expectant. They already knew…
The Wicklows always spoke in a way that left me uneasy, their words layered with meanings I could never fully grasp. Their abilities defied explanation, working in ways that seemed to twist and blur the way the rest of us viewed the world. As we talked, the conversation took on an unsettling weight, especially when Bartley mentioned what they had already "seen."
The details were vague, shrouded in a veil of ambiguity, but one thing was clear: we had roughly twenty-four hours before the immortals came for them. The Wicklows' foresight was unsettling, as if they knew more than they let on, but we had to trust it. It would be a close call, but with any luck, we could rally everyone in time to stand against what was coming.
Our advantages were few, but they were formidable. First and foremost, we had the element of surprise on our side. Second, we had three modes of attack, each backed by the unique strengths of the three families. And finally, we had two powerful vampires. Forces Mercy would never anticipate standing against her. With these in our arsenal, our chances were stronger than ever. It had to be enough.
It was late in the night. Hours had passed as we planned our attack, combing through every option. We conference called Bartley as we spoke at great length about the specifics of our ambush. He assured us we didn’t actually need to go to them yet. They could see clearly the time it would happen, and we didn’t need to make any moves that could change the outcome. Honestly it was overwhelming how little control we seemed to have compared to them. However, they had always been our greatest safety measure to stay off the grid, and not make mistakes that would expose our families. So… we trusted their decisions.
That night, none of us could sleep. Even Martin and Charles were on edge. Martin’s worry was written all over his face. He was thinking about all of us. Charles, on the other hand, was focused on his own family. He knew this was the end of the delicate balance he’d maintained with the monsters below the city. The moment he turned on Mercy, he’d be exposed. If we didn’t manage to take out both Mercy and Phineas, his family could be at risk, too. He talked a good game, confident that we could pull it off, but I could see the unease creeping in.
Morning came too quickly, and with it, the reality that we were marching into a battle we hadn’t planned for the way we usually did. This felt rushed… too rushed. A nagging doubt crept into the back of my mind, whispering that we might not be ready. But we had no choice. If we didn’t fight, our entire family would be at risk.
Eleanor and I laid in bed, holding each other in silence as the sun crept through the curtains.
“It has to be enough…” El spoke almost in a whisper.
I squeezed her tighter, smelling her dark hair as it lingered in my face. “It will be, El. I promise…”
We stayed that way for a while longer, before we got up to face the world. Just a few more moments alone with the woman I loved. The woman who discovered this dark world and didn’t run… she fought it. She entered this family and made it her own. She takes care of all of us. Sometimes I think she would have made a better hunter than me if she had been born in it like I was. Even the loss of our son… Allen… and she has stuck by me through it all. I had to make sure this worked… for her!
We were all exhausted from the waiting. As soon as Autumn, Martin, and Charles joined Eleanor and me in the kitchen, we fell into a tense silence. We had barely exchanged words, the plan so thoroughly drilled into our minds that there was nothing more to say. Each of us was wrapped in our own mental preparations, trying to steel ourselves for the chaos ahead.
I had to project strength and confidence for Autumn and Eleanor. I needed them to believe I wasn’t anxious, that I wasn’t secretly terrified. I couldn’t afford to show any fear, not with the weight of their expectations on my shoulders. They needed to see a leader who was unshakeable, even though inside, I was quaking. My fear wasn’t for myself but for the possibility of losing one of them… my girls. If they knew the truth, the very foundation of their resolve might crumble. I couldn’t do that to them.
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Charles and Martin had slipped away into the shadows behind our house. The delved into the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the city. They vanished into a storm drain just a block away, concealed by the lingering darkness from our tree line. With daylight above, they would navigate the underground passages, planning to rejoin us at the destination.
The rest of us loaded up the Suburban, cramming it with every weapon and resource we could think of; silver in every form, bullets, arrows, bags of dust, and bombs. We were as ready as we could be, but doubt gnawed at me relentlessly. The silence of the car was thick with tension as we pulled out of our garage, my grip tightening on the steering wheel as I silently prayed for us to make it through.
The ride to the Wicklow’s was a quiet one. The calm before the storm. Eleanor and I spoke softly in the front, but Autumn sat in the back without making a sound. She was there with us, ready to fight, but her mind was someplace else. We could see it plainly on her face. She was thinking about Sam… if he was okay. We let her have her time in the car. It was one of the last calm moments we’d have for a little while.
When we arrived, Frank and Jane were already there, their presence a solid, reassuring anchor amidst the chaos. The sight of them together ready to fight brought back memories of when we were young. It felt right. Jane, flanked by the other Talbots, exuded a readiness and determination that bolstered my spirits. The sight of each of them was a beacon of resolve, their supernatural abilities evident in their unwavering stances and vigilant eyes. It brought a rare moment of warmth to my mind, I felt hopeful as I looked upon her amassed family. It was a reminder of our shared purpose, of how, despite our differences, feuds, and the time that had come between us, we remained a unified front.
Among the Talbots, there were faces I recognized instantly: their steely gazes and confident postures spoke volumes of their prowess. Yet, there were also new faces. Strays that must have come into the area and stayed with Jane. I hadn’t seen their abilities yet, but if Jane brought them, I knew they’d be an asset. They stood strong and silent, their presence a testament to the power and unity we needed. Around them, a half dozen vehicles were already parked at the fringes of the gypsies’ land, a silent testament to the support we had gathered.
Eight of the most formidable Talbots were huddled together near their vehicles, their focus unyielding as they awaited Jane. She and Frank had positioned themselves closer to the house, the gravity of their roles palpable in their every movement. I maneuvered the Suburban alongside them, feeling the weight of the moment as I stepped out to join the growing assembly.
“Looks like you pulled it off,” I said to Frank. “Thanks for coming, Jane.”
She nodded calmly, “We’re glad to be here.” She looked back to her family, “When will the others be joining us?”
“Martin and Charles will be here soon. I’m not sure how quick they can move down there, but they’ll be here.”
“My family doesn’t know them or trust them, but we trust you. We’ll keep our distance from them until it begins. Try and keep the peace until the real threat arrives,” she said.
“I understand,” I replied.
“Come on, Carter,” Frank gestured towards the house, “they’re waiting for us.”
It was a little awkward and cramped inside the old gypsy house once everyone was present and accounted for. When the two vampires arrived, it made things even tenser, but the gypsies could keep things under control. They had ways of making you feel calm and sedated to not pose a threat to them. The things they could do were… strange.
Then out of a backroom behind the kitchen, an old gypsy grandmother made an appearance. Her small frame and white hair gave her away instantly. I hadn’t seen her in a couple months. Annabelle Wicklow, the oldest and most potent of the gypsies. She could see things others couldn’t and do things nobody could understand. She wasn’t a weapon used to fight like the rest of us. She was a compass, guiding and keeping us safe from the other things in the world. It didn’t matter where she was, she knew if something was going to happen to the family.
“Autumn,” Annabelle spoke to my daughter from across the tightly packed kitchen. “Come here, sweetie.” She slowly crept across the kitchen tiles with her old wooden cane supporting her right side.
Autumn walked straight into her arms. Annabelle knew exactly what was wrong with her without ever having to ask. Autumn knew that Annabelle could feel what she felt, so they didn’t have any exchange of words. Annabelle was the best thing to an actual grandma that Autumn had, and she loved her. If I’m honest, I think that Annabelle favored Autumn over her own relatives for some reason. All of Autumn’s life, it seemed like Annabelle had a special relationship with her.
“It’s going to be okay, sweetie… you’ll see. Everything will work out, just give it time,” she spoke softly into Autumn’s ear.
My daughter just cried silently in her embrace. She was able to let her guard down with Annabelle, we all could, because the old gypsy already knew what was in your mind or weighing on your heart.
I wondered what her words truly meant. What had she seen?
Bartley spoke up to kick things off. He made introductions for those who didn’t know everyone. He got the elephant out of the room with the vampires and the Talbots. Finally, we got down to business. We were going to be fighting for our lives. We had a plan, we had numbers, we had a lot to lose. As we spoke about everything, I prayed again… for a miracle.