Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Carissa's pov

(Italy, Rome)

"Do the villagers know about you?" I asked Clyde

"Yes. Like witches, vampires are always

safer when they're in a community"

"Is your mother expecting us?"

"Yeah. Carissa. This is my mother" he announced taking me to her

"Well?" That was all she said, she certainly didn't want me here

"Shall we go inside or continue the greetings out here? After you" she said making way for us

"Thank you for having me in your home" I started but she said nothing only said something I could not understand

"She's pleased to meet you," Clyde said

"Of course, she speaks only English and no French. Modern warmbloods are so poorly educated" she noted

Clyde's pov

"You might have shown some consideration, Clyde" mother started

"I thought you prided yourself on being a radical" she added

"I have never been a radical"

"Change is overrated"

"Clyde!" The household screamed, I had not seen her in ages

"Ah, Emily. This is my friend, Carissa." I introduced

"Welcome," she said smiling

"Emily has been with our family for centuries. Thank you. She needs some rest. It's been a long journey" I said

"I'll make up her room" she offered

"No, I'll do it. She'll be sleeping in my tower. You need to get some sleep" I said turning to her

"You must be tired too" she tried to object

"Oh, vampires don't sleep often. Not in the same way you warmbloods do"

"Your mother doesn't want me here" she noted

"It's been a long time since anyone other than the family has visited here. Not since my father's death"

"What happened to him?"

"He was killed. During World War II. I'll be downstairs. Just...call me if you need anything"

****

I was searching for the keys to dad's office but couldn't find them.

"I don't want that room open while she's here," mother said walking in

"I have some work to do. I'd like to use dad's office. Mama, I need the key. I don't want to fight"

"I'm not fighting"

"Carissa didn't kill dad"

"Thank you" I muttered when she handed me the keys

"Her kind killed him, nobody else. Do you truly understand what you're exposing us to?"

"Well?" I asked, surely she must think something

"She's nice" the housekeeper chipped in

"I haven't smelt such power for centuries" she noted

"Sweet and green. Like the spring" I inhaled

"Mind your head. She's bewitched you." She added and walked off

Matthew's pov

"Matthew?" Catherine called out and I quickly hid

"Matthew?"

"Matthew, are you there? Hello, Matthew"

"Catherine. What are you doing here?"

"Where is he? Is he chasing after that witch?" She asked

"What witch?"

"If you don't tell me, my father will be very angry with me"

"Do you think I care?"

"Does he miss me?"

"He's moved on. He doesn't think of you, ever! Can't do anything on your own, can you? Always need someone to take care of you"

"Tell Matthew I called." She turned to leave

"Eternity's a long time to be chasing a man who doesn't want you, Catherine" I shouted back.

****

"It's Ben. Here we go" I said, sighing

"Ben" I greeted

"Does Clyde want to cause a war?"

"No"

"Then explain what the hell he's doing? What was he thinking?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" I answered

"I've tried. He's not picking up. Does he have the witch? He may be your father...but unfortunately for me,

he's also a De Baron. As head of your family, you can't refuse me. Where is he?"

Carissa's pov

"Mum? Mum?" I called out

"Marissa" she called

"Mum?"

"Carissa!"

The sound of the riding tone forced me to awake, I was having a terrible bad dream

"Hello," I answered

"Carissa, your ringtone's changed. Where are you?" My aunt asked

"Oh, I had to leave France"

"What? Why?"

"Mr. Davies threatened me"

"I think it was right for you to leave. He harassed your parents too. Honey, where are you?"

"I'm with Clyde"

"Where's he taken you?"

"To his mother's house. In Italy"

"His mother? Mrs. Baron?"

"Yeah. You know her?"

"Listen to me very carefully. You need to get out of there...now"

"She has destroyed entire covens. In the '50s and '60s, South America...dozens of witches lost their lives, many of them elderly"

"Why would she do that?"

"Why?" She asked shocked

"Because she's a witch killer. Come home now, Carissa"

"Does your mother use the whole house?" I asked Clyde

"Well, she used to. Now, most of it's closed up. That used to be dad's office"

"I know you told me he died in the Second World War. Then your mother spent the next few decades wiping out covens in South America. I remember my aunts telling me that some witches worked with the Nazis"

"They played a part in his death. Yes. But that has nothing to do with you"

"For her it does."

****

"Her name's Rakasa" he noted referring to the horse

"My mother used to ride her, but, er...She has a quieter horse now."

"What does her name mean?"

"Nar Rakasa's Arabic. It means "fire dancer"

"Let's see you dance then," I said hoping on the horse

"Yah! Come on! Yah!"

"Slow down!" He warned

(The High Levels Meeting)

"Demons" Sarah noted. Mr. Davies had brought her in to introduce her

"Yes" Mr. Davies agreed

"That's Amanda Wilson. Their leader" Mr. Davies explained

"You won't tell them about her powers?"

"No, of course not, but we need their support. Amanda. Please meet Sarah. Our new witch on the Congregation" Mr. Davies introduced

"Nice to meet you," Sarah said curtly

"Amanda's always telling us how we need to up our women count" Mr. Davies added

"Which doesn't go down well with the vampire colleagues" Amanda finished

"Why?" Sarah asked

"It seems to me that every vampire appointed over the last 900 years has been a white male" Amanda explained

"Finished, Amanda?" Ben asked walking in

"Ben, I'd only just started"

****

"Gentlemen. Now we're all gathered...I bring this meeting to order. Mr. Davies has called this emergency session" Ben started

"Thank you. On behalf of the witches...I formerly request the assistance of this chamber. The high levels rules have been broken"

"By whom?" Someone in attendance had asked

"Clyde de Baron. Your brother has abducted a witch" Mr. Davies threw at Ben

"As you can see, he's been stalking her" Mr. Davies added sharing round-the-table pictures

"And now she's disappeared from her rooms. No doubt abducted by Clyde de Baron. Your father set up the high levels

to avoid drawing human attention to us

and to keep the peace amongst the species.

Your brother has broken that peace." Mr. Davies continued

"If this is true, then I'm afraid Clyde must be brought to account. What I don't understand is why he'd want to do it" Ben answered

"The lineage is distinguished, isn't that right?" One asked

"Is she powerful?" Another asked

"No" Mr. Davies answered

"She was tested as a child. So if she did have the power, it would have come up then"

"No, we're straying from the point, which is, where is she and how are you going to get her back? Mr. Davies has failed to provide us with the full facts, as usual"

"Take that back!" Mr. Davies yelled

"Oh, come on, we all know you lie like thieves. If she's found her powers, she must come here to us."

"She doesn't have her powers yet but she might know how to retrieve them" Mr. Davies corrected

"And you were going to keep that information to yourself?"

"At least I haven't snatched her like Clyde de Baron."

"It belongs to all of us, Davies!" The vampire leader yelled

"Enough!" Ben stopped them

"My brother does have the witch. He's taken her to Italy. We will send the representative of a high level and he will hand her over for investigation"