Sylvie

Once the conversation with Casey ended, Martin grabbed his clothes and tossed on the suit he’d left crumpled on the ground. “We have to get you into your lightout shelter and turn off the welcome light.  I think we only have a few minutes head start.  I’ll grab the bloodstones, where did you say they were Jennifer?”  Martin asked and then recalled they were in the art studio.  He started for the other room and stopped when he heard a knock at the front door. “Jennifer, please just go and get into the shelter.  I don’t think these things would knock, so I should get rid of this person just in case.”

Jennifer yanked Caroline from the floor and pulled the naked woman behind her. “Let’s go, Caroline.  There are spare clothes downstairs.”  Jennifer turned and questioned Martin as he headed for the front door, “Tell me what is going on with MY daughter, Martin.”

“Once we are downstairs and safe with the bloodstones, I will explain everything.”  Martin opened the door to a familiar face with a head full of light brown hair that he didn’t particularly care for, and even partly snarled. “Miss Blackwell.  I should let you stand out there.”  Martin crossed his arms. “However, I am under some pressure and don’t have long, so come in.”

Casually walking like she didn’t have a care in the world, Tatum whistled and took a few steps into Jennifer’s home. “Your refined and calm voice is a little on edge, I would say.”  She walked into the living room and ran her hand over the big hammock. “I know about the shadewraiths.  Plural.  The one coming will look like a Deputy Director from the FBI, she will be accompanied by two agents that are also possessed.”  Looking around the corners of the walls, Tatum lifted her hand and summoned her magic.  White light in the form of little water droplets hit the floor and began spreading across the entire house and within minutes a thin barrier had formed that shielded walls, doors and windows. “There, that will alert us to their approach.”  Walking through Jennifer’s house as though she’d lived there her whole life, Tatum motioned for Martin to follow. “I have some bloodstones with me and I think Jennifer has about a milk crate full.”

“Why are you here Miss Blackwell, I know you and your kind.  You hate us.”  Martin said aggressively while walking into the studio where he picked up the tub of bloodstones. “We are going to hide in the lightout shelter.”

Tatum looked at the polished stones and picked a few from their container. “These will do.”  She then addressed Martin’s concern. “I promised to keep Agent Elle from bothering Sylvie and Casey.”  She walked towards the shelter door. “I consider protecting Jennifer part of the promise by proxy.”  Refusing the feed into the ongoing hatred between vampires and mages, Tatum let the issue drop as they walked to the shelter. “How many vampires are holding out downstairs, Martin?”

“We have two guests, Jennifer and her girlfriend.”  Martin explained. “Mistress Casey said that it was urgent.”  He picked a few of the bloodstones from the small bucket and juggled them in his hand as he and Tatum made their way downstairs. 

Seconds after the protection pair reached the bottom of the stairs, Jennifer came running and punched Martin on the shoulder. “No more waiting, Martin. Tell me now what the fuck is going on with Casey!”  She wiggled a finger at him, annoyed. “We’ve been sleeping together for months and you held this back from me?”  Jennifer turned and next pointed at Tatum. “You.  Why are you here?  I thought you didn’t like my daughter.”

Walking around the small room, Tatum pulled out a chair and sat down and brushed the dust from her skirt. “I don’t like her.  I did make a deal with the two of them, and I am honoring it.”  She looked at Martin, “You didn’t tell her?  What a jerk.”  Tatum turned and faced Jennifer, “Casey is a vampire, my dear.”

Opposite of the three talking, Caroline began to laugh. “You are all silly.  There are no such things as monsters, especially vampires.”  She looked at the two silent people in the corner of the room who appeared pale and in lots of pain. “You two alright?”  Caroline asked politely. “Hey Jenny, they look sick.”

“Holy Hannah, Caroline!  Wake up and see what you are looking at.”  Jennifer pointed to the twin vampires in the corner. “This is a shelter for them to rest during the day.”  She rolled her eyes and turned around again and hit Martin a second time. “I should find a bat and beat you with it.”  Jennifer glared at her lover. “Since you regenerate, I can just keep beating you until whenever.”  She balled up her fists and shook from anger.

“Now Jennifer..”  Martin held up his hands and shook his head, “I didn’t tell you because I thought Casey already had!  Christ almighty, Jennifer.  I’m sorry, okay?  They didn’t make me swear anything, so I guess I could have.”  He softened his voice and got control of himself. “Generally it is a good rule to stay out of mother and daughter politics.  Truly, I do apologize.  You know how much I enjoy being with you.  I am here every chance I can be.  On the road, all I think about is getting back here and having a lovely time with you, Jennifer.”  He motioned towards the door, “These shadewraiths are coming for you, that was the substance of the call.”

Tatum watched as Caroline fainted and hit the floor while Martin was explaining himself. “You might want to take care of her before the blood-suckers try to have a nibble.”

“Blood-suckers?”  One vampire stood up and glared at Tatum, “How original, Maybe I will just come over there and make you part of my little family.”

Holding up his hand to Tatum, Martin shook his head. “Allow me Miss Blackwell.”  He turned to the guy vampire, “Two things.  You are a guest here and under the rules of this lightout shelter.  Second, my new and young friend, she is a mage.  Her blood is like that of a true believer, and useless to you.  Lastly, she’s been a mage for a long while, your odds are not good.”  He pointed at the bed. “Perhaps you and your mate should relax.  We are about to have some real company, which I don’t think you will like at all.”

Taking a look at his companion, the guy vampire decided to take a chance. “We are runaways from Richmond.  We were freed when our creator was killed last night, they found her body outside the battlegrounds.”  He waved his fingers between himself and his girlfriend. “We’ve only been like this for a few days.”  He shrugged, “I had to sound forward, because in the city if you aren’t confident…you’re dead.”

Nodding in agreement, the small girl vampire added, “It takes one simple look where you look confused, and you become dust.  They feed on everything up there.”  She shivered and turned her brown eyes to Martin. “What…um…are shadewraiths?”

Tatum rolled her eyes and shook her head, “No wonder you blood-suckers don’t typically live more than a year.”  She looked at Martin, “You serve their kind, you explain it.”  Tatum got up and walked over to Jennifer, “Bloodstones will protect you from being overtaken by a shadewraith.  When I look at the past, I’ve seen your daughter and Miss Miakoda using a dust form.” Dumping five bloodstones in Jennifer’s hand, Tatum held up her index finger. “Give me a moment.”  Holding out her palm, Tatum summoned her magic and it flowed from her as easily as water in a stream.  The white tendrils weaved their way through the bloodstones and encased them in little strands of silken string.  Moments later a few pops echoed in the room and Tatum took a relaxing deep breath as she recalled her magic. “Just open the pods, it's nothing but powder.”