A Wolf's Miracle

Chapter 33

"Fine, it was 1534, France, I was fifteen years old and--"

"You were born in 1519?" Diana asked, she had remained quiet for a while, but it seemed like she couldn't contain her curiosity. "That would make you 504 years old!"

"Yes, she's old as fuck, moving on," Blaze said and Violette gave him a furious look which only seemed to make him happier.

"Maybe start with how we met," Callum placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We met because I saved his life when he accidentally pissed off  a demon" she smiled "It was a low-level demon, didn't even have a corporeal form, but still, pesky little creatures."

"Then I saved her life back and that is how things have been for thirteen years, she owed me one, so I called her when she told me the rebels had gone to the council."

"What did they want? " Damien asked, worried.

"They asked for my father's help, offered them something he desperately wanted in return" Blaze was about to ask what but she said "My mother"

"The vampire... queen?" Diana asked.

"There is no such thing, just consorts, and lovers" she explained.

"Why is your father after your mother?" Selene asked.

"My mother wasn't like the other consorts, she was a human girl living a normal life- My father happened to walk into the village and he fell for her so bad he kidnapped her and turned her" She looked disgusted "My mother was special because she was the only one of the consorts my father 'allowed' to have his children. This is supposed to be a great honor but it isn't unlike the older traditions of your kind" she air quoted the word allowed. "Long story short, she ran away, my father wants her head so, the wolves offered him a chance to find her."

"If Vesper is helping, then we are fucked" Elowen said.

"He hasn't said he will help them yet" Violette fingered the cross on her neck. "But he will, he's just making sure they are desperate enough so he can ask for more in return." 

"So we will have to deal with him even if we decide not to help you" Damien stated, thinking out loud.

"Yes" she confirmed "But with me on your side you have a great advantage," she stated the obvious, not only because she was clearly a powerful vampire, but because she could be their spy.

"I still don't trust her, why do you want us to kill you?" Blaze said.

"Because, as you know, supernatural creatures can only be killed by another creature or a human with the gene. I do not fancy going out looking for some vampire hunter, the witches won't help and the demons will take my soul."

"I will happily kill you, don't get me wrong," Elowen said with a sadistic smile. "But why won't the witches help? They love killing vampires."

"I killed thousands of them over the years, all to steal their power. They won't kill me because they want my father to torture me for eternity" Harlan looked at her necklace. It was a talisman, then. A place where she stored all the magic of those she had killed. "It seems like a fitting end."

He couldn't say he wasn't impressed by her. She was clearly very strong and intelligent. She could be an amazing asset against the rebels. And with her, Diana wouldn't have to access her traumatic memories.

Harlan knew Diana was strong, and that is why he realized she could make her own choices. It still worried him, the mere thought of seeing her suffer made his heart feel weird. Like he couldn't breathe if she wasn't happy.

"Would your father do that? He is your father after all..." Selene, as usual, even though she had experienced horrible things from her own family, still believed in familial bonds.

"My mother had eleven children, there are only four left alive, counting me." she snorted "Vampires are selfish, we live forever so we fight forever. We betray each other because we're bored." She fixed her hair, clearly uncomfortable "So the answer is yes."

"How do we know you won't betray us?" Harlan asked.

"She wouldn't, she isn't like that," Callum said.

"I am like that, I was at least" she looked at Damien "I have lived a long time, a thousand different lives. I have killed, I have loved and I have lost. I want to do the right thing before I leave this world." The ice in her beautiful eyes melted, revealing a glimmer of emotion. Sincerity.

"If this is because of Magnolia or Arthur--" Callum was clearly against her dying. Harlan couldn't bring himself to care. As long as she did her part in everything, he would kill her himself if he had to.

"Arthur is the reason I decided I hated him, Magnolia is the first person I want to hug when I'm in heaven" She gave a sad smile "I have to save my mother, that is what my sister would have wanted."

"Why don't you just kill your father?" Arden asked.

"It's almost impossible" Elowen explained "Besides, something tells me that even if she did, she'd want to die anyway. She has nothing to live for."

Harlan could understand the sentiment of being drowned by your sins, being stalked by your fears. And to have to do that for eternity, he would want to die as well. 

But then he looked at Diana, maybe he wouldn't mind living forever if she was around.

"Elowen!" Selene said but Violette only smiled sadly.

"We'll do it," Damien said "Well help you if you help us."