Chapter 9.4: Dear Diary, Side Motives

An Excerpt from the Diary of Sophie Seaforth

Dear Diary, how fast things can develop! Just when I lost all hope I could somehow save Gigi and her baby, there was a change in the weather.

It all started when Gigi told me about vampires, fairies, werewolves, and witches being real and living in Midnight Hollow. Normally, I would have thought her delusional. Except that I’d seen the glowing eyes of Sebastian, and the red eyes of Laris.

There was a strange golden glow around Phira Plumspirit, and my sister’s bodyguard had thick hair growing from everywhere. My school mates shunned me because I was different.

In another place, I would have said I was the normal one, but here, in this cold, dark town where the sun never made an appearance, I was the outsider, the one who was abnormal.

The real cherry on top of the sundae, though, was when Geeg announced our father, who died years ago, was returning.

In my shock, I called her crazy. There was no way that could happen. She’d gone too far.

But my life and everything around me were a mess. What if I was the one who was wrong? So many fantastical things happened here with Gigi. There was the strange potion making, chanting spells, hours reading books that weren’t in our language, and being a “queen” of all these… beings.

I cried on top of my bed, my body completely wracked with sobs. There was nothing I could do to save my older sister. It was clear she was lost forever.

“My Lady,” Sebastian said, his voice soft.

The damned bodyguard had followed me to my room and was hovering beside the bed. Without turning all the way around, I peeked a glance at him, then hid my swollen face against my arm again.

In my time with Sebastian, I’d never seen much feeling in him. His skin was as cold as his eyes, and if I looked at him for too long, it was almost impossible to look away.

Now he was standing over me, his hands clenched together and his mouth turned downward into a frown. I could sense him changing his weight from foot to foot.

“What do you want?” I demanded. I sincerely hoped the sharpness of my voice would cut him in half.

He paused as if to say something, then thought better.

Realizing he wouldn’t go away, I finally wiped my eyes and sat up on the edge of the bed, my head down to hide my ugly, tear-stained face.

“I suppose you believe my father is coming back, too?” Each word was spat at him as if daring him to a fight.

He sighed, unclasping his hands. “I do not. What I believe is that the King is using his promises and spells to control the Queen.”

His words had me clutching my knees, my knuckles turning white.

“What did you say?”

His voice remained steady as he said, “The necklace she wears, a gift from the King, is spelled. We have to get it away from her.”

I swallowed hard. Was he trying to trick me? Did he expect me to confide in him and then he would run to my sister and Laris and tell them everything? That I was a traitor in their deranged kingdom?

“I won’t betray you, My Lady.” My head snapped up, and he nodded slightly. “Yes, I can read your thoughts. I have known from the beginning you wanted to take the baby and run.”

“H-have you told my sister? Or Laris?” I gasped, my whole being shaking.

Hesitantly, he touched my sleeve, then said, “No, and I do not plan to.”

“You said the necklace is spelled. Why don’t we just surround Gigi and get it off of her?”

“No, we cannot. The spell is very strong. We do not know what would happen to Gigi or the one who takes the necklace from her. It is too dangerous.”

I wiped fresh tears from my eyes, turning my head so he wouldn’t see.

“What are you?” I asked, a sob catching in my throat.

He put his hand back at his side, then bit his lower lip. Just like a human would, I thought.

Something flashed in his eyes, and he sighed heavily.

“I’m a vampire.”

“A v-vampire.”

He bowed his head. “Yes. King Laris brought me here to keep you from running away and to report any dissenting thoughts to him and your sister.”

“So he must trust you,” I said, my back stiffening.

“He trusts my father, which is just as good as having a glowing resume.” He paused again. “Allow me to introduce myself properly.”

He stepped back, then bowed low, his body moving fluidly. In a moment, he was back.

“I am Sebastian Woodbury. I come from a long line of vampires. My father, I call him that because he turned me, was Gerrard McCalmont. And he is the leader of the Resistance.”

“Resistance?”

He nodded, then began his story. I will write it down now as best I can remember.

Sebastian’s Story by Sophie Seaforth

Long ago, before there were roads, or villages, or towns in this part of the country, Sebastian Woodbury was searching the world for his fortune across the great sea so he could return home and negotiate for Mercy Boyd’s hand in marriage.

The two had fallen in love that Spring under the cherry blossom tree by the little pond, and there was nothing Sebastian wouldn’t do for her.

Because he was poor, Mercy’s father demanded he come back for her hand once he’d made something of himself.

Mercy and Sebastian were heartbroken, but he promised her he would return to claim her, and she promised to wait for him.

Sebastian was not long on the road when he came across a wealthy man by the name of Gerrard McCalmont. Gerrard owned the largest bank in Newfolk city. The two traveled together the rest of the way to Newfolk, and by the time they arrived, Gerrard even offered Sebastian a clerking position in the bank.

Sebastian happily accepted, and sent word to his love, Mercy, that it wouldn’t be long at all before they were reunited and could marry.

However, fate had another plan for Sebastian Woodbury. As it turned out, Gerrard was not only a cunning businessman, he was also a vampire.

As Sebastian rose in rank at the bank, he and Gerrard became closer. Gerrard even referred to Sebastian as the son he never had. Like any dutiful son, Sebastian worked hard to make his adoptive father money, rising even further at the bank until he was vice-president.

Years had passed, but Sebastian and Mercy had never wavered in their love. They wrote to each other often until at last, Sebastian felt he had enough money and the proper position in life to offer her.

But Gerrard talked him into staying longer each time he tried to leave. His words were like honey dripping from the comb, and Sebastian was eager to please.

Then came Mercy’s last letter. In it, she pleaded for Sebastian to return or her father would marry her to another.

Without delay, Sebastian told Gerrard he must leave no matter what. In vain, Gerrard begged him not to leave. Sebastian’s mind was made up. Gerrard paid him handsomely in gold, bid him good fortune, and implored him to return one day with his bride in tow.

Sebastian agreed and went on his way.

At first, he traveled without incident. But then, he began having terrible dreams at night of bloody corpses lying all around him. Each night, the nightmare returned, worse than it had been the night before. He saw throats ripped out by large fangs, and tasted the sanguineous iron on his tongue. It was almost more than he could bear.

He fell into a fever at one inn along the way, and his adoptive father Gerrard came to care for him, finally bringing him home to Newfolk.

Sebastian did not know how long the fever lasted, but when he woke, he felt different… cold, and thirsty for blood. In his horror, he ran through Gerrard’s house, attempting to leave, but when the sunlight hit his skin, it left deep, red burns on his skin.

When he ducked back inside, his skin healed right in front of his eyes within minutes!

He still hadn’t recovered from his terror when Gerrard told him he had chosen him to be a proper son by the exchange of blood.

“I am your father, and you will never leave me,” Gerrard told him.

It was a command he could not refuse no matter how hard he tried.

Sebastian lived in a haze then, going through the motions of life, for how long, he did not know. Gerrard had a witch under his employ spell him so he could work at the bank in the sunlight, and it seemed no one noticed his glowing eyes. It wasn’t until after his turning that he realized Gerrard had glowing eyes.

After a time, he began feeling less numb. Finally, he could write to Mercy. He couldn’t explain what had happened to him, but he could beg her to come to him. Now that he was turned, he still couldn’t leave unless his father permitted him.

Months passed when, eventually, a letter arrived. It was from Mercy, and it was unkind.

In it, she accused him of playing a mean joke on her. How dare he contact her after all this time had gone by without a word! That’s when he discovered years had passed, right under his nose, and Mercy was married to another. She had three children, was quite happy without him, and never wanted to hear from him again.

He staggered backward, the letter falling to the floor, his heart wrenched from his body. From that moment on, he vowed never to love again.

The End.

Sophie’s Diary Continues:

After hearing Sebastian’s story, I stood up and encircled him in a big, tight, bear hug like my dad used to do. He stood there like a damn plank of wood, as if he’d never been embraced a day in his life. Then, he patted my arms in the most awkward way and moved my hands down by my side away from him, clearing his throat.

“I do not tell you my past to have you feel sorry for me. I am over it. It was so long ago.”

Cringing, I stepped away, too.

“I don’t feel sorry for you. I mean, I am sorry that you didn’t get to be with Mercy and that you were turned. But I hugged you because you didn’t have to tell me all that. It’s because you want me to trust you, right?”

A small smile curved his mouth, and he nodded. “I want your help. But first, I want you to know that my vow cannot be broken.”

“What vow?”

“I vowed to your sister that I would not let any harm come to you. I’m afraid that means I can’t let her hurt you either.”

“She wouldn’t hurt me. She just has crazy ideas and she wants me to believe them, too.”

He shook his head, his mouth now a grim line. “She would not intentionally hurt you, but King Laris has a powerful hold on her and he wants you spelled into submission.”

I gasped, my mouth hanging open. “I’ve got to get out of here, but I can’t leave without Gigi!”

“You and I… well, we need each other,” he said, his voice low. “I’m part of a resistance, an uprising. Midnight Hollow wasn’t always dark without sunlight, the way it is now. Vampires, fairies, werewolves, and witches sought asylum here. Our kinds lived in relative peacefulness for ages. We had our own government and way of doing things.”

“Then Laris showed up?” I asked, my brow furrowed.

He nodded. “Yes. He was more powerful than any of us put together. We’d spent centuries reining in our abilities so we wouldn’t draw unwanted attention. When it came time to fight Laris, we were defenseless. He put us all in our places and made himself the king of us.”

“But now it’s been centuries and you’ve all been practicing your abilities?”

“Yes!” There was a glimmer in his eye and he looked ready to burst into flames or something (hell, I don’t know what vampires do when they’re excited), but instead, he smiled. “Not only that, we’re organized and ready to fight. We just need one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Your sister.”

A Note from the Witch, Agatha Ebonywood, Lady in Waiting to the Queen, delivered to The Resistance

The queen fought with the king about a nightmare regarding her father. It is possible she is closer to waking up than we thought. Will continue to monitor the situation.

Preying Phantom believes he has won Little Beehive over to our side. He requires more time to be certain.

A Royal Birth!

Announcing! The birth of

HRH The Princess Amelie Bloodgood Noble

A very special thanks to Bee (Stories by Bee / Poses by Bee) for the poses I used from her site: Emotions – Adult, Just Standing – Males, Emotions – Body Language, Emotion – Male Adult Poses, Emo Male Set 2, and Conversation Poses. Your poses make me so happy! 🙂

Thank you also to NotJustaBook for Wolf’s Poses – a Metric Shitton of Poses (Request) (poses 5-9). I needed Soph to lie across that bed! You saved the day! 😀

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