The Story Of Raven Lee *watttys2019* A Vampire Fae novel

Chapter 1

"Raven Lee you get down from that tree this insistent you hear me?" I hear father call in his stern voice and I laugh swinging down from the fully grown apple tree to land in a crouch, my colorful skirts falling around me.

I run at full speed to our carriage and fly into his open arms as he hugs me tightly. Mother smiles at me from her perch on the stool to lead the horses. Her smile always warming my heart. She pats the seat beside her and I climb up eagerly.

I look up into her eyes loving their blue backdrop with green and yellow stars front and center. She smiles her perfect smile at me again and she starts the carriage by creaking the harness of the horses.

The fancy brown and white mare with long hair covering her hooves, and the black stallion start to move with a light winning. So used to the whip that it doesn't startle them anymore.

As we start to go I smile at the way mother's fire colored hair flies back in the wind looking like a living flame in the rising Sun.
"Oh my sweet Raven I'm so going to miss you when you start your own journey." I hear her state. I know she means it with all her heart just by the way she catches my eyes before looking forward.

"I know mama. I'm going to miss you and father, even Jay Bee. " at hearing her name my older sister pokes her bleach blond head out the carriage and looks at me her sky blue eyes searching. Searching for what I have no idea.

I smile at her anyways which makes her smile back at me. The searching leaves her eyes. My eyes move over to my father where he's riding his horse beside the carriage.

"Jay Bee what is with that look your giving every boy that passes our carriage?" He asks her and she just smiles a very slight smile.

"Nothing father I'm just being nice." She says giving me a wink as a wind blows the black feathers in her hair as she holds back the long fall of silk and I fight a giggle. I know all to well of what that smile means.

"Jay Bee your only 25 do not make yourself seem desperate." Father smiles knowing that Jay Bee will never have to look desperate because all the guys in our caravan flock to us feather sisters. Well mainly Jay Bee for her untold beauty.

Jay Bee gives a look of mock surprise and then we all start to laugh. Including mama. With a soft quick crake of the horse whip she makes the horses tarot so not to tire them out. She then looks at us both in turn smiling with love shining in her eyes.

"Well Jay Bee have you set your pretty eyes on any young man yet?" She says knowing for a fact that Jay Bee is smiting hard for Mike Lou Forester. She blushes her dark skin turning a light red. I smile at them laughing and wishing I wouldn't have to leave them all behind. That I could have more moments like this with them.

As if knowing what I'm thinking mama wraps her arm around my shoulder and kisses my cheek. I lean into her taking in her love.

"Do not fret my love I'm sure you'll find a man out there on your journey. He'll be more of everything then these boys we have here." She says boys in a way that makes them sound not good enough for me. Which that only makes me laugh and scuff at the idea.

"Mama I see no man in my future." I hug her tightly.

"Who is it that has some sight into the untold future my dear? " she gives me a good squeeze before breaking our hug a knowing smile on her lips. I watch her a moment more interested in just what her wise old eyes have seen.

Feeling a tug on my raven black hair I turn to an annoyed Jay Bee. Mama laughs softly.

"Were you even listing to me Ray Ray?" She pouts out her bottom lip making her look childish.

"Sorry Sissy I didn't catch that. What was it you said?" She huffs at me rolling her huge blue eyes.

"As I was saying Mike is such a gentlemen. He walked me back to our carriage last night after the camp fire dinner. He only kissed my cheek before saying good night and that he had a great time with me. We had danced all night after we ate and had wine." Her voice went high pitched as she went on and on about Mike.

I found I drowned her out with deep thoughts of my own. About that same dinner but mine went a very different route.

.......
Sitting there surrounded by our whole clan. They all avoided me, except my family and Alena my best friend. She never minded that I was the cursed one.

As the dinner came under way the clan ate and then the wine was handed out among the men and women. Many of the clan played music and danced around the fire, Jay Bee and Allena included.

I was left to drink my wine alone with my thoughts. At this time our elders came and sat around me. Forming a barrier between the clan and me, they watched me. I bowed in greeting as I sipped my wine. The bitter taste easing my nerves.

"Evening elders. " the eldest Man grunted at my greeting and was smacked by the eldest Lady, his partner.

"I'm sure you know what is about to be said Raven Lee. " the youngest of the elders folds her hands on her lap looking quite nervous.

"You can relax. Your my clan I would never harm you. But yes I do know." I sit up and look at them each in turn.

"Your to tell me to start my packing and say my farewells. That I'm never to return again so on and so forth. Right." At my board tone they relax and nod as one. Their white and gray hair sway in the light night breeze.

"You have a week and three days. Unless something happens unexpectedly." They all stand walking as one except the youngest elder.

"Dear Raven I'll always remember you with great honor and respect. I was there the day you were born with such promise. I was there the day your gifts reviled themselves to you marking you the chosen. To me it'll be like losing my own child." She grabs my hand lightly the feeling odd and off putting. I nod and force a smile. Not being touched by really anyone since my gifts showed up at four had me pulling my hand back.

"Thank you all I ask is for my family to be treated well."

"Very well. You have my word." I watched as she walked away leaving me to finish my wine in silence. I chug the last of it and head to the forest line. The small pad of steps drew me to look down at the six kittens that have strayed from their mother back at camp.

I sit under a large apple tree the trunk cradling my back in an almost hug. The six kittens curl up around me a little gray one climbing up into my lap. The mother cat finding her kittens lays by my side watching them. Looking back from the family of cats I watch or people dance. The huge fires casting their shadows out into the darkness that stretches out into the night.

........
I'm drawn from my thoughts of last night at Jay Bee's squill. I see that we've made it to our new grounds, just outside an old city in a huge filed.

"Let's go Ray Ray!" She jumps out the back of our wagon her strait blond hair flying like a beacon in the wind. Sighing I follow a small smile creeping onto my face.