Chapter 33

Tanya Harris was in her tiny apartment balled up in the corner of her bedroom, crying her eyes out. Her Tiger Silky wasn't a tiger anymore, at least not any that she knew of; she was evil anytime Tanya looked at her. She was black, oily, and cold.

She felt sick and cold all the time. She couldn't get warm. Not even taking a hot shower helped. Her skin was grey and peeling away as if she was shedding; anytime she tried to eat something that was raw meat, she would throw up violently.

The worst, though, was her beautiful hair. It was falling out in clumps; it was everywhere in the apartment. She felt that she was going insane.

Silky wouldn't shut up unless she went off someplace. Any time she was with Tanya, she chanted over and over..."Got to find children."

Silky wouldn't answer her name anymore, and when Tanya asked her what her name was, Silky laughed and said..."Lamina."

Who or What was Lamina? She waited for it to go into a slumber, she didn't think it slept, but it seemed to go somewhere else. Once it was gone, she ran to her laptop and looked up Lamina.

The laptop's light was the only light in the darkness. As tears ran down her cheeks, she stared at the screen in absolute terror.

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The Wraith had found himself a nice if not a little plump older tiger shifter. She was a beauty, or at least she thought she was; he didn't even have to put much effort into catching her.

Once he had her tied to the X table, he soon realized something wasn't right with this shifter. She even smelled off. The smell was familiar to him but not coming from a living being.

She smelled like death and rotten fish. It got so bad that he had to leave the room and get some air. Finally, he started to laugh a little; it was the first time he was ever stunk out of a room.

He returned and sat on the stairs looking at the female; she didn't appear to be dead or rotting. She looked fine. So, where the hell was the smell coming from?

Looking all over the rooms and finding nothing, he returned to the female he had tied up and got a little closer; the stench was coming from her. But How?

It was then that black oozy stuff came out like tears from her eyes and then from her ears and nose, she started to convulse and shake.

When she opened her mouth to scream, something huge and rotten shoved its way out of her mouth, splitting it from ear to ear.

He stood for the first time in his life in horror at what was falling to the floor in front of him. It was a dead and rotting tiger. He looked back at the woman, and she was now just as the tiger was.

Snatching up the female's purse as he ran back up the stairs and into the open air to breathe once again, not that he actually would suffocate, but it felt like he would have if he stayed any longer.

He opened the female's purse and dumped it out on the ground, and in the middle of a bunch of stuff was a little amber bottle that The Wraith was all too familiar with.

Well, Well, what do we have here, Mr. Deslaires? You have been a very busy guy. This side effect, though, I think it might put you out of business.

Picking up the little bottle, he put it in his pocket and smiled, knowing exactly what he would do with it once he modified it just a little bit to make it perfect, he should have told Raymond how to make the Elixir, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

The Wraith laughed into the empty night; here I go thinking that I am the only one making masterpieces, but Moron Raymond had to go and do it without even trying.

Something is going to have to be done about that.

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Enid had finally made it to Micheals's palace and, at Micheals request, directed the servants to get the place ready for guests and for the upcoming ball that would introduce Daisy to the court and all the vampire world.

The ball was to be held in less than two weeks, and many things needed doing yet; Enid was also in charge of the guest lists and the menu. Even though she wasn't a vampire herself, they all followed and were loyal to Micheal.

When she was put in charge of the menu, she was slightly concerned; it was a vampire ball, after all. Was she supposed to order up a bunch of humans for snacks? Do they eat regular food? She had to go to the butler and have him help her.

He assured her that at formal balls and such, they eat regular food, but there is a unique wine ordered that was mixed with blood for the vampire guests. At no time do they ever call humans from some store?

With that all settled, all that was left to do was wait for Daisy to return, and they would go shopping for her ball gown and everything that would go with it and have her fitted with the proper jewels.

Enid let out a sigh, I wish that Clara could be here to see this day. Telling all those stupid snobs where to go. At least Enid would get to watch their faces as Micheal introduced his daughter to them all.

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Micheal, Noah, and Daisy stood in a wildflower clearing where Jack had told them to wait. It was a peaceful place, and the smells from the flowers were to die for.

Just as the sun was setting, they could see Chief StormWalker approaching them, holding up his hand and waving in greeting. He didn't speak to them, just gestured for them to follow him into the forest.

The forest was even more enchanting than the wildflower clearing; it was old and had a deep forest kind of smell; there were little giggles and whispers in a language they couldn't understand.

It was a magical place, but when the Chief went under a stone arch, they found themselves standing in an even more magical place if that was even possible. This place, though, felt sacred and ancient.

StormWalker directed them to stand in a stone circle; it was more like two circles overlapping each other, so there were three places to stand.

They stood in the first more extensive-standing area, and StormWalker stood in the opposite, more significant section leaving the small overlap section between them.

Then he took the two vials of blood and tears and poured them into the center overlapping area.

StormWalker raised his hands into the air as if welcoming someone; when they all looked up into the trees, there were thousands of tiny lights that all twinkled like stars.

The lights started to descend from the trees and surround them until they encased them like a wall of light.

StormWalker then looked at Noah, "Son, stand close to the line that overlaps, making the inner circle, but please do not step inside the center."

Noah did as he told it was then that one tiny little golden light started to twinkle in the air before him, and Noah wanted so badly to reach out and touch it but didn't dare.

That was when everything turned white, and Noah couldn't see anyone anymore; it was just white all around him and the stones of the circles.

When he looked up, his father, Nicholas Lucas, smiled brightly in the middle overlap area and looked happily at his son.

"Hello, Son."

Noah stood there in awe. Could it be, could it be that he lives?

"Dad?"

"Yes, it's me, son."

Noah almost jumped into the center to be with him, but his father held his hand to stop him.

"No, you must not step inside with me to do so would cost you your life. You have way too much life yet to live to trade it for but a small flicker of a moment."

"You saved me. I am free now of that dark place, and my ancestors are calling just beyond your sight to take me home."

"Father!, No! please don't leave, please stay. I need you; I don't want you to miss out on the future with your grandchildren, please, please; Noah was crying and begging desperately."

"Stand up, son, you are a Lucas, and a Lucas does not behave this way; you know that this is what must be, and when it is your time, I will be there for you again."

Noah gathered himself from his grief and stood again before his father.

"I am proud of you, my son; I will always love you, but you have to go back into the world of life, and I, as your father, will go before my son, into the next realm as it should be."

"I am allowed this one thing though, my son; Nicholas reached over and hugged his son; though his feet remained inside the center, his arms were still allowed that one last touch."

"Goodbye for now and take care of your mate; continue to make me proud, son."

Noah felt his father's arms and the warmth of his love that last moment and then the light got so bright that he couldn't see anymore; when he opened his eyes again, he was with everyone else again inside the double circle.

He stood there in silence and then looked up to the sky and whispered...

"Goodbye, Papa."