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"I can play chess perfectly fine." The son said, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
Konrad hummed, shaking his head. "Not really, son."
They sat on opposite sides of a glass chessboard, their chairs almost throne like. The lights were turned off in Konrad's manor, only the fireplace illuminated their faces.
Two people sat next to each other in a hard chair in front a piano, laughing as they took turns bragging about their skills. One of those people was his half-brother, Becker Reinheart. They had different last names, and the son swore he would never consider Becker family. He'd never admit it out loud. The other was a girl with raven black hair with a bright smile and an evil glint. The son snorted, at least he wasn't related to her.
The son ran a hand through his hair, gulping. He looked so much more like his mother than he did his father. He was glad. He wouldn't have gotten this far if he was a spitting resemblance of Konrad.
"You gave me the girl. Thank you for that." Konrad moved a Rook and captured his son's Queen.
The son stood up and glared at Konrad. "You have Becker now, and Constance. Give the girl back to me." At their names, the two people at the piano looked up, watching the conversation with mild intent.
Konrad stood up too, barely taller than his only blood child. Becker was much taller than Konrad however, taking after Kasparov Dawn. "Hmmm... that's not a good chess move, son." He shook his head. "I could still need her. I gave up the children for Becker, now I can't have my Hunter army like I wanted."
The son rolled his eyes heavily. "And who's fault is that!? Give me my—"
"No. She's fine. She's being treated like a Queen here, a Princess." Konrad smiled. "You call her that, don't you, son? Princess."
He clenched his fists. "Leave her alone. She's a little girl!"
Konrad ran at his son, grabbing his son's throat. "Do you know what she's capable of? Marvelous things! She's a Salem Of The Old Witch, my blood runs through her veins!" His son would have fought back, but Konrad hasn't risen yet. He was still a ghost and the living can't touch the dead, no matter how much the dead touch the living. It was an odd thing, being between hell and Earth.
The piano began playing again, a morbid and deeper tune to Fur Elise.
The son was not a witch. He changed into a vampire when he was younger, back when he ran around with Terrance and Kasparov Dawn. "As does mine! I have done everything you asked for."
"Clay, you do not understand chess! You do not see what I'm doing here. I'm pathing a new world. A better world. The humans and mutts and filthy fae will be GONE!" Konrad yelled, narrowing his eyes. "You could have been a Salem. You could have joined me in my—"
"I don't care about power!" Clay Gold screamed. "I don't care about you, or my wife, or the stupid fools I'm in Quebec with! I care about my children. Colin may not see it, but I care about him too."
"If you cared about him, you would have let him turn Salem instead of Hunted trash." Konrad reasoned.
Clay snarled. He hated that term, Hunted. It was a slur, a terrible name. "I didn't want him to be used by you."
Konrad widened his eyes. "Salem children are... the most impressive. You should have seen Becker. God that boy, when he'd cry I felt the Earth shatter. Colin could have had that!"
Clay shook his head at his father, taking a deep breath. "My daughter will no longer be a part of this. I'm taking her home. You're raised, I've done my job."
"How's the war coming along?" Konrad asked, taking a step to Clay, his frame blocking out the fire light.
Clay shrugged. "Ask my son. Ask Arlis. I don't know." He hated his son being with that girl. The girl who he would've killed already, but then there'd be no war and there'd only be pain to him and his family. He could never get away with killing a Dawn.
Konrad smiled. "You can tell Kasparov now. You understand that? You can tell him that his niece is dallying in the likes of the Vampires."
Clay could've punched him in the face. "I couldn't protect Colin from the Dawns, you know I can't do that." Even the Barrons night have a hard time defending themselves from that family.
"Well... if my plans works out, Colin will be with me, us, and Arlis's mate and him will be the one to ruin themselves." Konrad said, laughing. "Its perfect. Everly's family will hate the Vampires even more-so."
"Turning her into a hybrid is a terrible idea. Arlis will shred me." Clay said, closing his eyes. Clay Gold was a strong Vampire, the leader of them all at the moment. But, he didn't really believe he could kill Arlis if it came to a fight.
Konrad smiled. "That's why your wife is with me. That's why she's doing it. By January second, Arlis's mate will be a hybrid. A human, and a werewolf. It's not even that bad."
But it was enough. Clay looked at the ground. "How will you win without your army of children-turned-Hunters?" He didn't want to fight for a cause that would ultimately lose.
Konrad scratched the back of his neck. "The Salem Of The Old Witches vowed to kill themselves and never have children because they were too powerful. There were only ten. Me, Becker, and your daughter can take care of ourselves. Plus I have Constance which entails that I'll have the rest of the Dawn family. If I have you and your son, then I have Everly Dawn also. If I promise to fix Arlis's mate, I guarantee I'll have Arlis and his pack bowing at my feet. My game plan is there, son. Trust in that." Konrad set a hand on Clay's shoulder. "Now I need Arlis comfortable. He needs to know that he is clear, he needs to think that he's not the one who starts the War. Even my fake Prophesy is setting itself into their minds and stirring them, causing a war in itself. Thanks to Leslie, of course. It's much easier to wipe a Species out when they're all killing each other." Konrad's laughed. "Ah, figure out a way to tell Arlis that your son and Everly are together. Don't make it obvious. This is a vital part in the plan."
Clay nodded and backed up, out of the cold room and walked away. He'd play Konrad's game until the very end. He wanted his family safe. He wanted to be safe. He was sick of people stepping on him. And today was almost his last straw, but he just had to push a little harder. Just a little longer.
The piano played louder, the siblings were just seeing who could make the more horrid tune, the notes were now ugly and harsh.
"CAN YOU PLEASE STOP!" Clay spun around and glared at them, clenching his fists.
Constance flipped him off and continued pounding along on the piano, pushing Becker as they wrestled for keys.
"Oh they'll stop once they hear this." Konrad snapped his fingers and both Constance and Becker looked at Konrad. Constance looked at him like he was God and Becker looked at him like he was Lucifer.
Clay hated Konrad, his own father, and his dead mother. His mother who died to protect Becker, completely forgetting Clay.
But Clay was working for Konrad and Kasparov, a double agent. He wanted to be safe no matter who won the war. Konrad thinks Clay is working for him, and in ways he is. He's helping him win. But... he's also "helping" Terrance and Kasparov, improving his relationship with them, just in case Konrad couldn't win. Either way, he was safe.
He thought maybe Constance was doing the same thing, maybe she was as smart as him. But it became very clear very fast that she was only working for Konrad. Kasparov had stated multiple times that if he ever saw Constance again, family be damned, that he was going to kill her.
So Clay stopped worrying about her.
And Becker? Becker was just saving the kids. He had to admire a part of Becker. Just a small part. Becker had some shred of humanity in him, something rarely any supernaturals had. But he also hated just how weak he was. All that power and he did nothing but suffer. He wished Becker could take out Konrad right now. But he knew he couldn't, not with Konrad in this form.
Sure, Konrad was weaker in this form. Sure, Konrad can't actually kill anything (the dead can't kill). And to top it off, he can't actually be seen by everyone; just people who had once tried to kill him or are related to those who had once tried to kill him. But the living can't touch the dead so Becker can't even kill him yet.
Clay took a sip of what looked like red wine, but this was thicker and sweeter. This stuck to his teeth and dripped from his mouth no matter how careful he was. He looked at the glass. He guessed this was a make people suffer or suffer yourself world. Who knew whose blood this is? Who knew where this body is?
"Becker, raise me. Right now. I'm ready." Konrad laughed, popping his fingers. While this could have been a disadvantage, that's why he was holding back, this also could have been a major upside. He could finally do what he wanted to do, do his own things, and stop hiding.
Becker stood up at the same time as Constance. Both looked appalled.
Clay tilted his head. Why was Constance looking so scared? "Shouldn't you be happy?" Clay asked, hoping to catch her in her double-agent lie. Then, he'd have a good reason to kill her. Clay could handle that.
She looked at Becker. "Because this is my brother, and he could die from that spell."
Konrad shrugged. "So? Becker knows what I'll do if he doesn't listen to me."
Clay watched as Becker gulped. "I need... I don't know if I can even do it." Becker said finally, looking down at the ground.
Konrad gave Becker a dumbfounded look. "Of course you can. Why couldn't you?"
Becker shook his head. "I can't tell you that. I promised my mom I wouldn't tell you that."
Clay scoffed. There's his first mistake, telling Konrad that he had a secret that he couldn't tell. Clay knew how Konrad was with information, he had to have it all.
Konrad narrowed his eyes as he walked to Becker. "Your mom's dead so you might as well tell me."
Becker shook his head. "I can't." He responded, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous for even you."
And there was his second mistake. Underestimating Konrad. Clay learned very fast to never underestimate Konrad. Don't ever let him slip. He was like Moriarty or Sherlock Holmes, smart and cunning and always one step ahead.
Konrad tilted his head. "What is it!?" He screamed.
Becker looked from Constance from Konrad quickly, fearfully, begging her for help.
"Tell him, Becker. Tell him or I will." She said sternly, a warning.
Becker gulped. "It's not so much a spell as it is a life hack." Becker started, taking a seat on the piano stool. "You can do the compelling spell, right?"
"Obviously. That's how I got Constance to kill your uncle is it not?" Konrad smiled at Constance, a moment of pain flashed in her eyes but she covered it up quickly.
Becker fiddled with his thumbs, biting his lip. "You can order... compel... the Salem Of The Old Witches. Ask for their help. It's dangerous and—"
"I don't believe you." Konrad said, throwing his hands up. "I don't believe a single word you just said. We're not necromancers, Becker! We cannot call to the dead."
Becker shrugged. "Well then how did I do it!?" Becker yelled back, his voice raising higher than I had ever heard it before. "They hate me for it but I do it all the time because I get to see mom!" He was breathing heavily, his shoulders visibly moving up and down.
Konrad blinked at him. "Prove it. Raise me."
"They were fine with helping me send you to hell. That's how I lived through that spell. But raising you up? They'll fight me and I'll die!" He shook his head. "I— I can't even attempt it!"
Constance squeezed his hand. A silent moment of understanding passed between them before Becker sighed.
"I'll do it, but if I die... I'm going to be upsetti spaghetti." Becker said and I groaned. What. A. Child.
But this was it. Konrad was finally going to be 100% here. Skin, bones, and all.
KATE
The ride there, to say the least, was as intense as it could have possibley been. If it wasn't my brother and Arlis having a stare off, than it was me and my brother having a stare off. And sometimes, I found me and Arlis glaring at each other. Of course, Arlis was driving so two of those three events occurring were dangerous. I don't think Arlis cared.
He seemed vaguely calm after his little attack, as if everything had fallen into place for him. As confused as I was, I didn't ask questions out of fear of being shot down or maybe... causing an argument. The last thing I needed was an argument with Arlis, especially with my brother in the car. I could only imagine how angry all three of us could get.
I almost asked a question, nearly brought the subject up, when suddenly Arlis slammed on the breaks, causing us all to lurch forward.
"Are you kidding me?" Chance said, holding his nose, he had smacked his head on the back of my seat. Luckily for him, it wasn't bleeding and it wasn't broken.
Arlis held up his hand. "Shh..." He whispered and shot us a serious look. "Do you hear that?" He asked and gave me a worried look. He turned the car off and rolled down all the windows, letting soft snowflakes flee into our killer warmth.
I didn't understand what he was talking about. All I heard was silence. Cold, dead, silence. A pin could drop and I'd hear it hit the snow.
Chance leaned between us from the backseat and nodded his head. "Yeah... yeah I do." He said, and I listened, strained to hear anything at all but there was nothing.
Arlis closed his eyes. "Someone's screaming." He said, and turned the car on. He pressed on the gas and the car slid forward, desperate for us to stay on the icy dirt road.
When we got forward, I could distantly hear it, the sound of screaming. And after we got closer and closer, the screaming got louder and louder. My heart was hammering in my chest, my hand was gripping the seat.
He stopped the car, pulled the keys out, and ran to the sound of the screams. He pushed past branches and dead bushes, running faster than I could keep up with. I almost tripped in the snow, but Chance caught me, holding me up.
"Go! Help him!" I yelled and Chance nodded, running after Arlis as fast as he could. Which, actually turned out to be pretty fast.
I took a breather and ran forward, my feet weighing the amount of a cinder block. When I reached the area I saw a person who I never thought I'd see again.
Everly Dawn laid on the ground, the snow a ghastly red around her. Her skin was split open in different cuts. Her back was twisted at an odd angle. Snow had fallen on her body, covering some of her.
Arlis slid next to her. "Everly... what happened?" He said and tried to help the screaming girl up.
"Konrad. He's back. Becker rose him." She said and screamed again as Arlis tried to help her up. "I can't heal why can't I heal." She cried into the snow.
I took a frightened step back and shook my head. "He did this too you? He was here?" I asked.
"Who, who was here?" Chance asked but I ignored him. I couldn't explain this to him, no not yet.
"Konrad was here but..." She muttered out. "Becker did this." She whined. "My family was right. Becker turned and he... he's going to get us killed." She cried out as she tried to stand on her own, her strength was mesmerizing to watch. She should've been dead, she should've bled to death.
But for some reason she was still alive, for some reason she was still breathing and able to try and stand.
I blinked back tears. "Becker? He did this?"
"And my cousin is working for Konrad too. Constance. And— I came here to make sure you weren't working for him." She looked to Arlis and closed her eyes, pain flooding through her body like a dam broke.
"You're not healing." Arlis notes instead of asking about his friends.
"OF COURSE SHE'S NOT HEALING!" Chance screamed. "We need to get her to a hospital!"
Again, everyone ignored him.
"I've already said that, Arlis!" She retorted, shaking her head like an angry mom. She winced as she took a step and fell back down.
"I can carry her." Chance offered. "Let's take her to a hospital!" He really should've learned the second time that nobody was paying attention.
Everly shuddered as a cool breeze whipped past us, blowing my hair and nipping at my cheeks. "I felt the breeze." She uttered and shivered in the snow. "Why is it so cold?"
"It's Winter in Montana." But even to me the weather felt more neutral as it got closer to my birthday. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt so I could only assume that she didn't feel the cold just like werewolves. "You're not healing... you feel the cold... are you... human again?"
She widened her eyes as realization dawned on her. "I can't be. That's... Becker wouldn't do that me."
Arlis looked down at her, his eyes sad. "Becker is doing a lot of things I said he wouldn't do." He closed his eyes and looked to my brother. "You're confused, but I hope this steadies things out." Arlis's bones crackled and popped until his clothes ripped and he was standing on all four, calico fur covering his body.
Chance began screaming and looking wildly around for an exit, he grabbed my hand and started to run but I pulled back, not letting him take me even though he was so much stronger.
"No no no, this isn't happening. I thought I was crazy. I'd rather be crazy!" He yelled and pulled me until Arlis growled at him, ready to attack.
I looked at my brother with wide eyes. "Werewolves are real. I sound crazy, and I know it's a lot to take in, but trust me. They won't hurt you."
"I know they're real!" Chance screamed, his body shaking and his eyes nearly glowing. "I just didn't think there was a whole society of them out there!"
I took a confused step back and closed my eyes. "What do you mean you know!?" I asked.
He licked his lips nervously and tousled his blonde hair with his left hand. "Because I've been turning into one since the night of the party."
Arlis stood next to me suddenly, naked but here as a human. "How?"
Chance looked down ashamedly. "I got bit that night at the attack." He explains.
I already knew that though. But... Arlis said all the bites got taken care of. "Did you go to the hospital?"
Chance shook his head. "No I didn't go to the hospital! I went looking for you. I saw you run off and I went looking for you. I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD, KATE!" He began crying, tears running down his face like landslides. "I know Arlis is a werewolf, that's why I was so suspicious when he brought you." He wipes his eyes and kneeled in the snow. "I don't know what to do." He wept, his fists clenching so tight his knuckles mirrored the ground. "I was afraid I'd kill mom and dad and I'm so hungry... I... I." He was crying to hard to even speak. "I'm sorry sis."
I leaned down to his level as Arlis walked to Everly and shifted again, sniffing around her and trying to help her walk. He could only do so much.
"Chance... why are you sorry?" My voice was shaking, my body was like an earthquake. I was scared for him.
My brother... was a werewolf. He never got treated by Doctor Montgomery because he never went to the hospital. He was too worried looking for me.
"How did you know Arlis was a werewolf?" Chance looked normal, liked himself. But his eyes... his eyes were different. His stature was different, he held himself higher, like he was worth more. Even in this weak state. And Arlis looked like a normal human being too. So how could he tell? As far as I knew, only underaged could tell when someone wasn't a different species.
He blinked back tears. "Because they told me."
I looked back and Everly was draped over Arlis's back like a rug. She was passed out. She was dying.
"Who?" Something wasn't right, something was wrong. He knew he did something bad, he didn't want to cough up his confession.
He took a deep breath. "The people who took me in to help find you. I didn't have to stay with them long because you came home, but they told me Arlis kidnapped you."
I shook my head. "No, no he didn't. He saved me."
"And I owe him my life for that." He sighed and stood up, his legs wobbly. "Alpha Rylee is looking for you. At least he was a month ago."
Relief ran through my veins like blood. It was just him. Alpha Rylee didn't scare me and we cleared things up with him. For a moment I thought he was working with Konrad unknowing that he was a terrible being.
"We need to have a long conversation." I laughed and brought him into a hug, remembering just how much I missed this jerk.
He held me tightly and kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry because I left you alone. I should've ran with you instead of hiding."
"Your leg—"
"Shouldn't of kept me from protecting you. You're my sister, Kate, and I... I let you go."
I smiled softly at him. "Well we're together again. That's what matters."
He wrapped his arm around me and looked at Arlis. "I guess I'm following you."
We trudged forward, the mood dark and dreary as shadows warped in the light. Oh what a time to be alive.