"I see." Abernathy's tail whipped and curled around his feet. I got the feeling he really didn't see, but wanted to mollify me. "You realize, dear vampire, life is evolution, whether you want to believe it or not." He drummed his clawed paws on the ground, sending wisps of dirt into the air. "Had a tadpole not longed to roam on land, it never would have become a frog."
I nodded. It was the same argument Sharra used. But that didn't make it right.
"Why do you want to stop what so naturally is," Abernathy continued. "Unless you're worried creatures of magic will agree with her instead of you." He gave me a knowing glance, and I cringed.
Clearing my throat, I steeled myself, and tried to glare. The idea of losing one's magic made no sense. Why would someone willingly give up such a gift? Choose to mate with lesser creatures? Weakening their power. There was no rhyme or rationale behind the logic. Flapping my wings in frustration, I said, "The unicorns believed as Sharra does, and they are all but extinct. Each generation diluted until the youngest no longer grow a horn, and can't communicate with other creatures of magic. It's a disgrace! They are called horses, and they do the humans dirty work." My words came out ragged, but that was the truth. It was despicable what happened in the name of evolution.
"Perhaps," Abernathy said thoughtfully.
I fisted my hands, the muscles under my brown fur straining from the pressure. Would he refuse me?
"What's the matter with her? It looks like she has a disease-that odd shade of her skin. And she hasn't moved in weeks."
"I wish I knew. Snow Angel, come back, honey. Daddy's here."
"Let's fly to Italy for Christmas, it'll do you some good to relax."
"You can do what you want, but I'm her father. I'm not going anywhere, in case she wakes up."
"You heard the doctors, there's nothing wrong with her."
"Then get the hell out, Viv. Go! Do what you want. I won't leave my daughter alone again."
"How dare you talk to me like that!"
"No, how dare you! For the past ten years I've chosen you over her. Never again." ...
Chapter 2
Abernathy exhaled, sending smoke through his nostrils, and I took another step back. "If you wish to save Earth's magic, there is much you must do. While I do not agree that the horse is less of a creature than the unicorn, I do think there is merit to what you request. Saving magic will benefit all creatures."
I felt my shoulders relax. My wings vibrated in response. It didn't matter if he agreed with my beliefs or not, only that he told me what I needed to do to protect the world's magic from dying out completely. "You'll help, then?"
"Yes, Silindra, Queen of the Vampires. I'll give you what you desire, but remember all choices come with a price."
"Thank you," I breathed, feeling a little giggly, and wondering where the emotion came from. Usually I was exceptional under pressure.
Abernathy tossed his head back. "Hhhmmmmm. Aaarrgggghhhh. Hhhmmmmm. Aaarrgggghhhh." The noise trembled deep within the dragon's body. He pranced from one foot to the other, as though dancing. Then he rose up on his hind legs, and let out a roar, breathing fire. Flames licked the high ceiling of the cavern. Bats died instantly, falling like black rain all around us. I fell backward, pinching my wings against the floor and the rocky wall. And waited.
After several minutes he stopped, turning his ferocious face my direction. An angry pain burned in his eyes. He opened his mouth, and I had a momentary flash of fear that he would send his fiery breath my way.
Instead, something small rolled off his tongue, landing in the dusty floor beneath him. "Take that," he said, returning to his sitting position, looking as though he'd done nothing bizarre.
I hesitated. "What is it?" A hairball, I thought. Nasty.
"Go on, it won't bite."
Yeah, but it might be oozing saliva, and other disgusting dragon... stuff, I thought, standing above it.
Abernathy chuckled, his eyes twinkling merriment. "Go on," he prodded.
Cautious, I picked it up. It was warm, and thankfully slobber free. It looked like a topaz gem, shaped like a teardrop. A grey-black substance swirled within. Holding it between my thumb and first finger I peered at it more closely.
"What is it?" I asked, hearing the wonderment in my voice.
"That, dear Silindra, is a piece of my soul."
I gasped, and almost dropped it. "Why?" To give away a piece of one's soul was a travesty.
"In order to save magic you must combine my soul with six other magical elements," Abernathy answered.
A vibration began within my body, and I knew he spoke the truth. "And they are?" I asked, pressing the gem into the palm of one hand.
"The horn of a unicorn, the strength of a troll, the heart of a fairy, the essence of a vampire, and the blood of a Hunter, but not any Hunter. When the time comes, you'll understand what I mean."
I nodded.
A shriek came from the nethermost part of my mind. I sucked in a breath, surprised. I hadn't made the noise. But who had? Shaking my head, I tried to rid myself of the clutter. After a thousand years of living I thought I'd experienced everything, but there was something new happening inside.
Abernathy spoke, "Do not fight what is meant to be. You have a young vampire within. She will be the one to restore the magical balance to the Earth when the time comes." Without waiting for my response, he lay down, curling his back toward me. Within seconds he was snoring again.
With the gem firmly in my grasp, I retreated from the cave. A part of me worried about keeping the dragon's soul safe. In the wrong hands, it would destroy lives. With the elements combined, whoever wore the gem would possess more power than all others combined, including the dragons.
Excitement shot through my heart.
I would be the most powerful creature in the world.
"Pops, I noticed Kenmei is back. What did he find out? Does he know why the Seal of Gabriel disappeared? Why she's red?"
"He discovered little more than we already knew. Abernathy believes the magic within the gem is binding with Snow. The dragon said if that's the case, she'll be unstoppable, a force more powerful than any of us has ever seen."
"Including the Vampire Queen?"
"Yes."
"Holy crap. Let's wake her up then."