Chapter 9:
Fight
"A what?!" Bertrand yelled into his cell phone, rage filling him at the recent news about his angel.
"It seems Lady Evangeline has acquired a Necromancer guardian," Julian repeated flatly. "She seemed very distressed over something and was being held by the delinquent. He was very protective over the young lady."
Bertrand growled into the receiver. The very thought of another man holding his angel made him blood thirsty. "We will deal with this upon my return Friday." Julian gave a quick response to show he understood before being hung up on. He threw the phone roughly onto the desk next to him, hearing the shell of the phone whine at the pressure, before beginning to pace around his room at the Virginia coven's main house. Red was the only thing he could see. Another man was with his angel, another man was holding his angel. How dare he touch what was his.
"I'll have that necromancer's head," he hissed, his eyes dark with blood lust and fangs fully extended.
~*~
Eva could feel the warm sun on her face as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. She could hear the sound of a fan whirling with the harmony of an early morning talk show lightly trailing underneath. She snuggled further into the warm blankets of the bed, her face scrunching up when she came in contact with something warm in the bed beside her. Soon she noticed the two long limbs sticking out from the mass before her that were wrapped around her waist. A blush formed on her face, heart beating like a drum in her chest as she opened her eyes to see who had taken hold of her during the night. A scream nearly tore itself from her throat when she followed the tanned chest in front of her face upward and saw Jasper's sleeping face.
Eva sat up in bed, the Necromancer's arms refusing to release her as she did so, and inspected Jasper as he slept. His usual black Mohawk was replaced with a soft looking river of black hair that flopped over the one side of his face almost blocking it from her view. His chest rose and fell with his deep intakes of air as he slept. Eva reached out and removed the hair from his eyes smiling when she was able to see his peaceful expression better. Before she could move her hand away, Jasper's hand shot out lightly grabbing hold of it. He moved her palm back to his face, placing a delicate kiss before bringing her hand to cup his cheek. Eva was speechless, a blush forming on her face as she wondered if he was doing this while still asleep.
"Firefly..." he sighed contentedly in his sleep. Eva's heart felt like it was going to explode. Was he dreaming about her? Was all this just him moving according to his dream? The thought made her blush harder, if that were possible. Careful not to wake him she tried to free her hand from Jasper's, being careful not to wake him. He groaned at the struggle and pulled Eva closer snuggling against her side as she continued to sit up straight in the bed.
"Ok guys, time to wake...up," Spectra froze in her spot in the door way. She had to hold in a laugh as she saw Eva trapped in her nephew's arms, struggling with all her might to get free.
"Spectra!" Eva pled in desperation, careful to keep her voice low. "Help me!" Spectra pressed her hand against her mouth to block out her laughter before quietly leaving the room. "I'll get you back for this!"
"Please..." Eva looked up to Jasper's face at the plea. His brows were creased, almost touching, as his chest heaved in and out rapidly. "Stop...please."
"Jasper?" Eva asked her concern growing when Jasper's breaths began coming more frantic and his hold on her tightened. "Jasper, wake up."
He didn't respond his body shaking as pain took hold of his facial expressions. "Evangeline..."
"Jasper!" Eva yelled this time taking hold of his shoulder and shaking him till the young man was shaken from his dream. He blinked a couple times, not sure if what he was seeing was real. Slowly he sat up, releasing Eva from his grip, and ran a hand through his hair. Cautiously, as if he was afraid someone was going to jump him any moment, he inspected his room before his eyes came to rest of Eva and he froze.
She waited for him to say something, anything, but he never did as he got up from the bed and went to the window to open it. Cool air gushed through the opening as Jasper just stood there, clutching the sill, hoping the shock of the cool air would shake away the nightmare. When it proved he wasn't going to say anything to her about what had happened she sighed and climbed out of the bed ready to leave the room. Before she could even reach the door she felt two arms pulling her back.
"I know I'm being weird but..." Jasper muttered against her shoulder where he rested his head. "Please, Just for a while."
It was easy to break his arms from around her; he didn't put up a fight at all. He looked defeated when she turned around to face him and was about to turn back to the window, thinking he'd rejected him when she grabbed hold of his hand and guided him back to the bed. She moved the pillow and sat where it had been bidding Jasper to lie down and rest his head in her lap. He did so looking up into her eyes as she began running her fingers through his hair and over his scalp. He sighed, feeling the nerves beginning to leave him and his muscles relax at the feeling.
"I thought this would calm you down more," she explained.
Jasper's eyes opened slightly locking on Eva's face. "Yeah?"
She shrugged. "I don't know," she said offhandedly. "Is it working?"
Jasper nodded a contented sigh escaping his lips as he laid there, enjoying the feeling of Eva's fingers running through his hair. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed the sensation, how long it had truly been since they'd been close like this...
"Do you have nightmares often?" Eva asked, her fingers never ceasing their motions.
He nodded, not opening his eyes as he answered her. "From time to time."
She nodded in answer, still maintaining her actions. "You said my name..."
Jasper's eyes shot open and looked up into Eva's. He didn't say anything a blush forming on his cheeks before he jumped up from the bed trying to hide the pink tint from Eva. She saw but said nothing.
"I'm sorry for getting all grabby," He apologized moving about the room looking for a hoodie to throw on as he waited for his burning cheeks to cool.
Her mind began thinking about the night before as she watched him scramble around the room. The run in with Julian had shaken both of them that night, so much so Jasper refused to let Eva set foot in her apartment that night. Without thinking he brought her to the coffee shop and up to their apartment. Soon Jasper realized Eva had nothing to wear for the next day or to sleep in and cursed before going back to her apartment to grab her some things all the while demanding she stayed in the safety of the coffee shop. She'd done as she was told and remembered taking a seat on the couch as Spectra sat in a soft armchair watching a show on the T.V.
"How'd I get in your bed?" Eva asked.
"When I came back you fast asleep on the couch," he explained as he finally pulled a hoodie over his head and allowing his gaze to rest on Eva again. "The couch is uncomfortable as hell you'd have a back ache in the morning so I moved you to my bed." A blush tinted his cheeks again. "Again, if I knew I was gonna get all grabby in my sleep I would've slept on the floor. That's never happened before."
Eva smiled, rising from the bed to stretch. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind, really."
The two gazed at one another for awhile, the embarrassment gone from Jasper's face replaced with quiet affection while Eva mirrored it, though she wasn't sure where the feelings were coming from. Slowly Jasper moved to stand before where Eva sat on the edge of his bed taking one of her hands in his as they silently gazed at one another.
"Evangeline..." Jasper whispered, the sound tinted with desperation as if her name were a plea. It sent a jolt through Eva as he gently moved a stray strand of hair out of the young woman's face. She looked up into his eyes as his hand moved from her hair to gently cup her cheek. She sat frozen as Jasper leaned forward, his lids growing heavier as he slowly got closer to Eva's lips before growing shut. Eva could feel her eye lids growing heavy when she felt the soft skin of his lips lightly begin to make contact with hers.
The knock at the door sent the pair jumping away from each other both embarrassed and unsure what had just transpired between them. Eva turned away from the door and Jasper, opting to stare at the wall as her face a light in a pink glow.
"C-come in!" Jasper called, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice.
Spectra walked in, a knowing smirk on her face when she saw the blush on Jasper's cheeks and Eva refusing to turn around to face her. She decided to show mercy on the two young people, putting her teasing aside for a later date in favor of more serious news.
"Eva, your Grandmother's here," Spectra announced, her face growing cold at the thought of the old woman standing in her kitchen.
Eva turned, her embarrassment forgotten for the time being. "Why is she here?"
"I called her last night," Spectra explained from where she leaned against the door frame. "After what happened there's a lot we need to talk about." Her eyes turned to her nephew who stood there listening intently to every word Spectra said. "Now that they know about us our original plan isn't going to work. More than likely Bertrand will take you somewhere we can't get to you upon his return-"
"That won't happen," Jasper growled, his hands balling into fists at his sides.
Spectra nodded in agreement. "With all that said, we need a new plan of action," she nodded towards the hallway, kicking away from the door frame and leading the way to where the old woman was waiting.
The closer they got to the kitchen the more the smell of lavender and chamomile became prevalent in the air, confusing Spectra and Jasper but making Eva sigh. She wasn't surprised to find her Gran already making her special "it's time to talk" tea. She would've been surprised if she hadn't. Lucile's ears picked up on the sounds of the three younger people taking their seats at the kitchen table, waiting for the old woman finish her brew.
"I have tea Lucile," Spectra sighed, lounging in her seat as Lucile came to the table, placing a tea cup in front of each person before sitting in the reaming chair.
Lucile huffed. "That over processed trash is not tea. It does nothing to calm the nerves and that is precisely what we need right now if we are going to talk about this." Spectra's eyes twitched as she watched the elderly woman take a long sip from her tea cup, a china cup she didn't recognize from her kitchen. The older woman had the gull to even bring her own cups, spectra noted. "Though I don't see why you wanted to call these two out here, I've already told you I'm taking my grand-daughter to France."
"What!?" Jasper exclaimed in disbelief.
"Gran I'm not-" Eva was cut off by Spectra's curt response.
"And I've told you, Lucile, you can't simply pack everything up and move to another one of your safe houses. It's not going to work this time," Spectra sat up straighter in her seat, her eyes narrowed slits as they locked on the old woman. "He has her scent, he has people watching her at night when he's not there; running isn't a permanent solution anymore. Besides, you know damn well that if he really wants her then distance is not going to stop him."
Lucile glared at the necromancer woman before her, her hands clasping tightly to the tea cup a sure sign of her irritation. "Then what do you suggest we do? Let this monster take her?"
"We're going to fight back!" Spectra spat. "We're going to plan and train and then when the time is right we're going to take this bastard down!"
"And how do we do that?" Lucile snapped her voice rising in rage. "Have you forgotten what happened to my son and Natasha? They were the best of the best and look what he did to them!" she took in a breath, regaining her composure quickly before returning to the conversation. "He's capable of magic we haven't the slightest clue of and has an army of fledglings behind him. How in the name of all that is light and good do you expect the three of us to win against that?"
"Maybe not the three of us, but maybe the four of us," Spectra's locked on Eva causing the young woman's eyes to grow wide.
Lucile slammed her cup on the table sending droplets of tea spilling of the china edges, her eyes ablaze in outrage. "Absolutely not! We agreed to keep her safe and to live a normal life no matter the costs."
"What's good in keeping her alive if she has to spend it living in fear or hiding in a bunker somewhere?!" Spectra snapped, her eyes flaring with a rage Jasper had never seen in her. His eye caught Eva move to speak but he stopped her, shaking his head in warning. This argument was way over due.
"We are not going to train her so she can go out there and get herself killed, it's suicide!" Lucile screeched standing from her seat to glare at the other woman. "We'd be putting her parent's sacrifice in vein, do you really want to dishonor Natasha like that?!"
Spectra was silent, her eyes locked on Lucile with an icy rage. Slowly the necromancer woman stood from the table, her eyes never leaving the old woman as she did so. "You're nothing but a cowardly old woman," Spectra spat. "Yes, Natasha and Ian never wanted Eva to get involved with hunting or ever go up against the monster that killed them. But they wouldn't want her to live the rest of her life in fear hidden from the world allowing life to pass her by." She leaned forward, her hands banging on the top of the kitchen table causing all of the cups to spill with the force of the hit. "They sacrificed themselves so she could live. What you've forced her to do for all her life, staying indoors, coming home right after school, never allowing her to leave the house or make friends with others, you're the one dishonoring them Lucile. You're the one spitting on their graves not me."
"It would take years to get her to the level her parents here at before they died!" Lucile fought. "Just look at her! She'll faint at the first sight of blood. Look at how she took it the first time!"
"Don't you even dare act like the sight of your own son dismembered and strewn about didn't send you into a fit," Spectra hissed, her eyes never leaving the seething old woman before her. "Don't even think that you can use that moment of weakness after finding her parents remains an indication of her not being able to do this. She's not a child Lucile!"
"She is a child! She-"
"Enough!"
The two women turned towards Eva. She stood from her seat, chin raised high, hair pushed back, her deep dark eyes looking straight on at the women before her with the same confidence she felt when she confronted her Gran the day before. "I'm tired of listening two you two talk about me like I'm not even here! This is my life. I'll decide what I'm going to do with it and what I decide is to fight back."
"Evangeline," Lucile spoke lowly as if trying to deter her grand-daughter from interfering. "After hearing word from Spectra this morning I will not waver on this. I allowed you to take your life into your own hands and look what you've done of it. Do not defy me further or there will be consequences."
Eva stood silent for a moment staring blankly at her Gran as her words sank in and registered. A fire ignited within her, filling her with a boiling rage that she had suppressed towards the old woman every time she tried to cow her into obedience. This time however she didn't contain it, she doused it in gasoline and let it roar.
"To hell with your consequences!" she spat making everyone in the kitchen stare in shock. "Every time, every damn time I've spoken out against you you've shut me down whether through your famous guilt trips or your threat of "consequences". I'm tired of it! I'm not weak. I'm not a child and I'd rather face Bertrand now then be forced into seclusion by you again." She took in a breath and released it. "I made a mistake one that wouldn't have happened if I still had my memories."
Lucile stared in stunned silence while Spectra stood with a proud smile. She could see Natasha's fire burning in Eva. It was like stepping back in time for a brief moment and seeing her friend, young and vibrant, standing before her in all her glory. It tugged at her heart strings and made her more determined than ever to protect the healer than ever before. She was all that remained of the only friend she'd ever known.
"So you're blaming me now for all your problems?" Lucile finally snapped, anger filling her. "How grown up of you Evangeline, placing the blame for all of your troubles on the woman who raised you, I can see I was wrong. You are an adult."
"That's enough, hag," Jasper spoke up coming to Eva's side, squaring his shoulders and eyeing the old woman as she stood proud and tall before him.
Lucile smirked. "Careful Jasper, wouldn't want to wreck havoc on Spectra's kitchen."
Jasper could feel his anger boiling in her chest ready to be released but was pushed back down when Eva took his hand in hers. She could see the look on his face and, though she wasn't sure why, knew if she didn't do something to calm him things would get out of hand. After a shared glance between the two young people Jasper released a breath and returned his gaze to Lucile, the murderous look replaced with one of irritation.
"I think it's time you left Lucile," Spectra said her voice stern as she regarded the woman with disgust.
"I'm not leaving without my Grand-daughter," Lucile said simply as she glanced at Spectra from the corner of her eye, the same disgust mirrored in her eyes towards the Necromancer.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," Eva snapped earning all of Lucile's attention.
"After all I've done for you, you're going to abandon me?"
"Damn it Gran!" Eva snapped. "You're the one threatening to abandon me, not the other way around."
Lucile remained quiet, her eyes narrowed on her grand-daughter who, in turn, returned the glare with full force. Neither woman refused to bend, neither showing any weakness in their stance. After a long moment Lucile grabbed her bag and made her way for the door to the shop below. Eva could feel her heart sink with the elder's depart a sole tear streaming down her face as she pulled her hand from Jasper's and made her way to the bathroom. Spectra and Jasper shared a look before she darted down the stairs calling after the insufferable old woman.
"Lucile, Lucile!" Spectra called as the old woman stopped in front of doors of the coffee shop. "You can't do this to her."
"And what exactly am I doing to her?" Lucile asked refusing to turn around and look at Spectra.
"You can't just cut her out like this," Spectra said taking a step towards Lucile. "You did the same thing to Ian when he said he was marrying Natasha. He refused to do as you wished so you cut all ties with him." Lucile whipped around, anger shinning bright in her dark eyes as they locked on Spectra. She wasn't shocked, she expected it. This conversation was a long time coming.
"She was dangerous," Lucile hissed. "I knew the moment I looked at her she would be my son's undoing, and look what happened to him."
"No, you hated her because she made Ian defy you, made him want to be who he wanted to be rather than who you wanted him to be," Spectra shot. "She made him strong and you couldn't which tears you apart."
"She was going to take him away from me!" Lucile sobbed, tears in her eyes as she stared at the necromancer before her. "After Ellis was taken from me by that Necromancer..." her eyes glared slightly at Spectra who returned it. "...I had no one else. All my family was dead. The only one I had left in the world was my Ian..." she sniffed trying to keep more tears from falling. "Then Natasha saunters into his life and he completely forgets about me. When he said they were getting married I knew I had to cut my ties with him. If I didn't do it then I knew one day he would and that would've destroyed me more."
Spectra watched Lucile sob and a few more stray tears stream down her aged face. She knew there was more to Lucile's cold and hard demeanor than just a hatred for her best friend. Now she understood a little better. Like everyone she was afraid to be alone and to lose the people she loved. With a sigh Spectra walked over to the counter of the coffee shop and grabbed a box of tissues she kept behind it, offering the box to Lucile who took it and began wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.
"When I heard about my grand-daughter I was curious and tried to patch things up with Ian," Lucile continued. "We had a talk, a real talk for the first time I think ever, and they agreed to let me start seeing my grand-daughter. I was so happy." Memories of Evangeline's childhood flashed through Lucile's mind. She smiled when recalling the time she'd spent with the child making cookies, working in the garden, and practicing her reading and spelling after school. They were some of her most treasured memories. "The thought of losing her, of finding her in the same shape as her parents..." a whimper escaped her at the thought. "She's all I have left."
"Then why are you pushing her away when she needs you the most?" Spectra asked in confusion. "Why are you so certain she's going to fail?"
"Because I'm weak," Lucile admitted. "It's just like you said I couldn't make Ian strong so how can I make Evangeline strong?"
Spectra sighed. "Look what I said before I didn't mean it," she admitted. "Ian was the best fighter in the guild before meeting Natasha and that was because of your training. Natasha just built off the already sturdy foundation you set for her, which is why I need you." Lucile looked at the necromancer in shock. She never thought she'd hear those words come out of Spectra's mouth. "I can teach her everything I learned from Nat...but she needs that stable foundation that only you can create for her."
Lucile stood there a sniffle her only response before seeming to pose herself and walk around Spectra back up to the apartment. She looked around the kitchen for her grand-daughter before moving down a hallway where she saw Jasper leaned against a door with his hands clutching his scalp. He looked up at her and glared, anger obvious in his eyes.
"Haven't you done enough?" Jasper snapped his eyes flashing black making Lucile take a hesitant step back.
"I understand why you're angry-"
"Don't even try that with me hag," Jasper hissed in irritation, taking a deep breath through his nose before exhaling it in an attempt to cool is anger.
"Jasper," Spectra called gaining the young man's attention. "Let Lucile talk to her." His brows creased as his eyes looked from Spectra to Lucile before getting up from the floor and leaving Lucile alone with the closed door to the bathroom. Once he was out of sight Lucile released the breath she'd been holding. After the death of her husband at the hand of a necromancer years ago she'd always been prejudiced and wary of them. It took years for her years to finally grow used to Spectra but Jasper still terrified her, his power especially...
She shook her head and rid herself of the thoughts. The boy was not her concern at the moment. With a breath she knocked on the door. "Evangeline?" she called. Silence was her only answer. "Evangeline please answer me dear."
After another period of silence the door to the bathroom finally opened. Eva looked at her Gran with red eyes, tears staining her face as she looked the older woman in the eye wondering why she'd come back. Lucile pulled the young woman into her arms hugging her tight as if she were afraid she'd disappear.
"Is this is what you want, Evangeline?"
She nodded wrapping her arms around her Gran. "It is."
Lucile nodded pulling away from Eva to carefully examine her. It was like she was looking at her for the first time. When she was younger she looked so much like her father but now she could see Natasha clearly in her from her large brown eyes to the heart shape of her face and the dimples when she smiled. How could she have grown so much without her realizing? "Then I will teach you all I know."
Eva stood there for a moment, not saying anything, before a broad smile lit up her face and she wrapped her arms around her Gran's slender figure again. "Thank you Gran."
"Well, now that's all settled," Spectra said making the two jump and turn to her where she stood at the opening of the hallway. "We need to start talking about preparations."
"We're going there, aren't we?" Jasper asked, his eyes cold as they stared at Spectra from where he leaned against the wall of the hall.
Spectra nodded an apologetic smile on her face directed at her nephew before turning back to Lucile and Eva. "I know of a place where no vampire will be able to find Evangeline while we plan our next steps." The two waited for Spectra to continue. "It's a city underground in habited by mythical and supernatural creatures looking to hide from those who'd want them dead. We've spent some time there in the past, Jasper and I, and have a house located there we can train in until the time comes to face Bertrand."
"But the town isn't completely safe," Jasper butted in, his green eyes locking on his aunt. "There are necromancers there who won't spare a second thought about taking your soul, Faeries who'll glamour you and make you their slave, mermaids hiding from the vampire blood slave trade...We'll have to be on our toes if we decide to go there."
Eva allowed all this information to sink in before nodding. "When do we leave?"
"As soon as we're all packed, which means the two of you will have to go to Eva's apartment and get all her things. Pack the essentials and dispose of everything else so the leeches can't use any of it to track us."
Jasper nodded, walking past Spectra to dart into a room as he called out, "Let me change my clothes and we'll get going."
Eva looked to her Gran for a moment smiling when the old woman placed a kiss to her forehead like she'd done multiple times before pulling away to wait for Jasper in the living room.
"You ready?" Jasper asked as he came out of the room dressed in jeans and sneakers, his hair neatly brushed and drooping over the side of his head instead of in its typical upright Mohawk position.
She nodded a determined look in her eyes. "Ready."