Chapter 44
Michael went to the west wing to see how his family was doing and check on his daughter. Garret had told him about their two night and day mating session. He decided it was time to come clean about everything they were going to need to know.
They were probably going to be angry with him for not sharing everything he knew upfront, but he was willing to endure it if that meant that he would have grandchildren. He was fully aware of how fast things were moving and that this would have all kinds of ramifications on the workings of the vampire world and perhaps the shifter world as well.
However, it was time to come out of the dark ages and get with the modern era. Things were changing all around them, and if they didn’t get on board and start evolving too, they were not only going to be left behind but also extinct.
He also wanted to check on young Danny and his mother to see how they were getting along in their new home and if there was anything they needed or wanted to make their lives better.
As he reached for the door handle to enter the west wing, he got a blinding headache then in a flash, he saw images of the future, his daughter was on a bed pregnant and giving birth, there were servants, and Noah was also there, and they were acting frantically.
There was a lot of blood everywhere, and Daisy was screaming, or at least that is what it looked like. He could only see, he couldn’t hear anything. Oh, God, was she dying?
Then in a flash, another image formed. It was Danny’s mother. She was lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. She was dead. Danny lay two feet from her motionless he couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead.
Another flash of white this time, and he fell to the floor in front of the door, passed out.
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Tabitha had slept for twelve hours, something she had never done; she felt strange and itchy all over; at least her cat Milly decided to shut up. She got up and went to take a shower. She looked at her feet and stared at them, not believing what she saw.
Her feet were translucent. She could see through them even though they were solid. She wiggled her toes, and they moved just as they always had, but she could see all the tendons and muscles moving as she did.
Not wanting to look, but at the same time, she needed to see, she ran to her full-length mirror, and to her horror, her entire body was the same as her feet. The only thing that she couldn’t see through was her hair, which had changed too. It was now hanging about her like a cloak, and it was as black as night.
She fell to the floor in front of the mirror. She was so stunned and shocked that she couldn’t even find the strength to scream or even form a single thought.
As she sat there, she started to hear laughter. It sounded insane. She recognized the tone. It was Milly, her leopard.
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Garret heard a small thump outside the door as he was heading out to get some groceries; when he opened the door, he was surprised to find his master slumped down on the floor.
He called out to a couple of the guards to help him get Michael to the living room so he could lay him on the couch. Once they were inside, Daisy and Noah came running to them and helped get him to the sofa. Garret ordered one of the guards to fetch the King’s physician.
As this was all taking place, Michael woke up with a confused expression. What the hell just happened? Were those glimpses into the future? He knew then that his powers were not just getting stronger. He was also gaining more.
He told everyone he was alright and that he just needed to have some blood, and he had Garret call off the physician. The last thing he needed was that old codger in here on him. Instead, he asked for them to send for his personal physician Timothy. At least he could tell him what was going on, and he would keep it secret.
Garret brought Michael a full glass of blood. No wine was added, and he drank it at once; he felt loads better now. He didn’t like everyone seeing him like this, though.
Moving to sit up, Noah pushed him back down, clearly concerned that he should stay laying down at least till the doc showed up. He waved them off and sat up anyway.
“It is alright. I have been busy and have neglected my body’s needs; I am fine now that I have had a drink. Thank you, Garret, for keeping the good stuff on hand.”
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Garret gave him a bow and a smile and went back to get the groceries; he noticed Enid was standing in the doorway, and he went over to her.
“He will be fine; he has done this before. He forgets to take care of himself when he gets focused on his work. I wondered if you would like to help me with the shopping?”
Garret held his breath as he waited for her answer; he had never been so nervous in his entire existence.
She smiled at him, and he wasn’t sure but was she blushing a little bit? She nodded her head and told him that she would fetch her purse and coat and would be just a moment.
He was grinning from ear to ear when she returned. They walked out together and got into the car as Garret drove them into town. Thinking that maybe he could talk her into getting some coffee and have a chat to get to know her better.
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The Wraith was making his way down the dungeon hall to the female’s cell when he noticed movement coming from the opposite end heading straight to the same cell. He quickly moved into the shadows to watch without being discovered.
It was a very darkly cloaked, perhaps female figure; he heard the female inside the cell cry out, giving away the mystery person’s identity.
“MOTHER!”
He watched as the mother changed shape into what looked like a liquid and slinked under the cell door. He felt it then the aura of a demon. So, the third one has been born; he wondered what kind of demon it was; it felt powerful.
He strained to hear anything they might be saying, but it was as silent as the grave, then he heard a high-pitched scream and what sounded like someone eating and bones snapping.
Then the liquid came out from under the door again, and this time it took the shape of the female in the cell. The countess was now standing outside her cell door; only it wasn’t the countess at all. It walked off into the shadows of the hall, heading outside.
He just stood there in the shadows with cold chills running over his body, something of a new feeling for him.
Whispering to himself in horror…
“A fucking shapeshifting Skinwalker.”
He had no idea how to deal with one of those. He almost felt sorry for the rest of the family; the first order of a newly made Skinwalker was to eat its former family.
Thinking that he was an idiot, he went back to his lair and decided to rethink his plans. Perhaps, he should warn someone about this new development? Then he shook it off. Nope, he was not even going to touch that one.
Laughing, he thought that if he could catch it and keep it in the dungeon, he could use it to punish Raymond, but that would lead to other complications that he wasn’t willing to deal with.
He would have to know its weaknesses and how to kill it in order to control it long enough to have it do what he wanted. He didn’t even know where to look for that information, no, he was going to have to punish Raymond the old-fashioned way.
It was funny how that dumbass managed to sleep through that scream, not even knowing what was going on down the hall. Perhaps, he should visit him to tell him that The Wraith had found him. Yes, I shall have a little fun just poking at him before taking him to my playroom.
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Raymond woke up feeling itchy all over and realized that he had thorns all over his blanket. The blanket was also soaking wet. He tossed it aside and was about to call for a guard when he heard laughter.
It was not a pleasant sound, and he knew who was doing the laughing right away. It was the Ghost. He also knew in that instant that he was fucked. No bars in the world were going to keep The Ghost out.
He decided he would call out to Alissa; perhaps if the Ghost realized that they were not alone down here, it would curb his actions. There was only silence, though. Bitch wasn’t talking to him, figures.
“I am sorry, Raymond, but our dear Countess had a dinner engagement that she couldn’t get out of and isn’t here anymore.”
Raymond cringed as the Ghost laughed louder.