╭──╯ The last chapter was 9.16 if you would like a refresher╰──╮
Excerpts from the diary of Sebastian Woodbury
…I once said it hurts getting punched in the face. It can hurt climbing walls, too. If any little pebble slips or moves, you can fall several stories to the ground. Of course, that won’t kill a vampire, only injure him or her for a short while. It’s unpleasant just the same, though.
If you remember, I’d just used my father’s potion to turn Tilly into something completely crazy.
As she climbed the wall below me on the tower that held Constance Whitaker’s inner sanctum, she made growling noises deep in her throat. I could only hope she was still under my complete control because, if not, anything could happen. So far, we were following the plan my father partly constructed, however, the sounds of losing control made my insides quiver. Not only might I have failed, but I would have to face my angry father as well.
It wasn’t long before I thankfully realized that Tilly was having the time of her life. It was all she could do to remain silent, so she didn’t wake Constance up.
“Sober up, Tilly, this is no time to make noise,” I hissed at her.
Immediately, she closed her mouth, but I could tell she was doing her best to refrain from giggling again. My father would have cracked me right across the face. But I am not that kind of person. All I had were words to dominate her with.
“Do it now, quickly,” I urged, keeping my fingers crossed she would get the spell right.
She cleared her throat and raised her hands in the air above the place where Constance was soundly sleeping.
“I call upon the power of the Plumbob of Wishes!” She started out softly, but then her voice rose powerfully. “I call upon the Plumbob of Wishes, hear me now!”
Constance stirred, and I feared she’d awaken, but the power coming from Tilly would not allow it.
“I have but one wish, oh mighty Plumbob of Wishes! Turn this vampire witch, Constance Whitaker, into a human again that she may no longer control her clan or anyone else!”
Light dazzled from Tilly’s hands all across Constance’s body until she was brighter than a Christmas Tree. I shielded my eyes with my hand and nodded at Tilly to continue.
Tilly waved her hands all over Constance’s body, brightening the lights even more.
When it was finally finished, Constance rolled onto her back and looked up at first Tilly, then me.
“What’s going on?” she asked, not seeming to know us even though I’d been her lover on several occasions.
Looking across the bed at Tilly, I said in a monotone voice, “You may have her.”
I didn’t like how this was ending. The knowledge of what was about to happen to this dazed woman at the hands of my new daughter left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. But it was my father’s command. I didn’t have the stomach to finish her off, but I knew Tilly would find delight in it.
She grinned at me, then said, “Your wish is my command, Father.”
I wasted no time in getting to my father’s castle. Of course, when I got to his inner sanctum, Bluto and the other one who’d beaten me up the other day were both there, standing guard.
“Let me pass,” I said when I reached the entrance.
When they looked at each other, I thought there was going to be another scuffle, which I was definitely not looking forward to. Instead, they parted, one of them ushering me in with his hand gestures.
My father was sleeping above his coffin, which he did sometimes. He once told me it was better to levitate while sleeping because it was more refreshing for him than lying in the confinement of a coffin.
I never learned to do that, but I had learned never to awaken him prematurely. Doing that was only asking for trouble, and I didn’t have time for that. I had been away from Sophie longer than I could bear. At least I knew she was safe. I’d felt her on the move and believed she was with Amy in St. Clare now, residing in one of the properties her family owned. Feeling her migration in my soul only made me want to be with her more, so the sooner we could get on with things, the better.
As it turned out, I only had to wait fifteen minutes or so for Father to awaken. Once his body floated to the top of the coffin, he laid his eyes upon me.
“Son,” he said in a welcoming tone.
Perhaps this would go better than I thought it would.
He closed his eyes for a long moment before saying. “She is gone. Very good, my son. You have pleased me well.”
With the agility of a teenager, he jumped to his feet and clapped his hands together.
I couldn’t help but stare at the Plumbob of Wishes. It was so beautiful, glowing green on the bronze stand. Light seemed to radiate from it at all angles.
“I’m speaking to you,” my father said, and I jumped to attention. “That’s better. You know, every vampire Constance created is human again, and they have no idea what hit them.”
From the smirk on his face, he obviously found this hilarious.
“I’ll probably get a phone call from her clan leader regarding all of this, but I do not care. This is wonderful!”
I looked at him with hopeful eyes. “Father, please. You promised you would turn me if I helped rid you of Constance, and I have done all you asked.”
He frowned. “I must ask you one last time, Sebastian… Are you certain this is what you truly want? I am heartbroken, as if you’ve betrayed me.”
I licked my lips, measuring my words carefully, not wanting to mess this up. “I’m certain, Father, but please do not think of this as if I’m turning my back on you. You are my father, and you always will be. I am grateful for all you’ve done for me, and am much sorrowed by all the times I’ve failed you.”
“Hmm.” He walked around me until, once again, he was staring into my eyes. “I am many things, but I never break a deal. You held up your end, and I must concede.”
Father told me the process would differ from the spell performed on Constance because he wasn’t as powerful as the creature I had turned Tilly into.
Instead of turning human right away, I would anguish between life and death, my body’s muscles working in excruciating pain. I did not care and assured Father I would not beg for him to stop…
Father stayed with me the entire time, never leaving my side. When it was finally over, he loomed over me, watching every move I made as if to make certain the wish had worked.
I turned on my side and didn’t know how long I slept. When I awoke, my eyes still had a glow about them, yet I felt different.
“My eyes…”
Father nodded. “Yes, they will fade in time, but you are human.”
With an intense joy filling my entire body, I pinched my fingertip, watching it turn white, then pink again. I had blood flow! I was human!
All of a sudden, my phone rang.
“Hello?”
“What has happened to me, Sebastian?” Her voice was a shriek that threatened to break my eardrum. I moved the phone away from my ear as she continued screaming. “Suddenly, I’m no longer a vampire? What the hell have you done?”
Now it was my turn to grin.
“I’m sorry, did you not know all the rules to this ugly way of life? Welcome to being victimized by vampires, something you never should have wished or asked for, Tilly! Don’t say I never warned you.”
It felt good to hang up on her while she still screeched and howled. Putting my hand over my heart, I smiled for the first time in ages.
“Now Sophie and I can be together.”
Father grimaced, then said, “I will never understand you giving up all of this,” he waved his arm around, “for that human girl.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at him. “You don’t have to understand. Thank you, Father, for granting my most precious wish.”
“Get out of here before I change my mind,” he growled at me.
He wouldn’t have to tell me twice.
Take that, Tilly-kins! LOLOL Have you guys been waiting for a Tilly-burn? I must know!
Thank you, Readers and Friends, for reading, liking, commenting, and lurking. I appreciate you!
Credits:
Poses: Vampire Pride, Color of Night, Transforming into a Vampire
Setting: Vladivanian Castle
World: The Stoneshields
I half expected the guy to lie to him about turning him human. Kind of impressed that he kept his word.
Perhaps he lives by some kind of code after all. lol It wouldn’t have been surprising if he’d lied the whole time.
[…] The last chapter was 9.17 if you would like a refresher […]
Not sure how but I missed this one!
It didn’t go out in the reader for some reason. I’m glad you found it. 🙂
ohh how strange!!!
It’s just wordpress’s way of keeping me on my toes, I guess.
Yay for Constance being gone, even though she did face quite a ghastly end. And I’m so happy that Sebastian finally got his greatest desire to become human again! I was worried about Tilly being even worse of a vampire clan leader than Constance, so it’s relieving that Seb had this knowledge “trick” up his sleeve to ensure that wouldn’t happen, his plan tied up quite nicely. Although, I am concerned that Tilly will try take revenge on Seb and Sophie, regardless if she’s a human or vampire…
Ghastly ends is how I roll, it seems. LOL I don’t think the trouble with Tilly is quite over yet, but let’s hope she one day sees an end also.
Yaaaaaay!! Xxx
Woot woot!
Wow! What an amazing story. So engaging and so well-written! I love the opening about the pain of getting hot on the face. Great hook!
You can feel the struggle the narrator feels, and how he yearns for his love-interest. I was a little concerned that Father would backpedal oh their arrangement. Thankfully, he didn’t.
Great story!
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement. 🙂
God I was so confused with this post. I came upon it after randomly scrolling through my reader, but it still has the January date for when you first published it by accident so it never showed up for me as a new post. It has a February date when I reach it directly at your site, though. I never would have known you updated your story if I hadn’t accidentally clicked on the ‘old’ post. But I see people have commented already so maybe it’s just me having this issue.
I am surprised that the plan worked so well and that Seb’s father did what he promised. I was so sure there would be a catch to it all and that there would be a big confrontation with Constance. I wonder how the spell works, though. Can Constance and Tilly be turned back after this? I feel like at least one of them will try to get revenge on Seb. If they manage to turn back, he will stand no chance as a human…
I wonder how Sophie’s going to react. He kept so much secret from her that I feel she’s not going to be happy and eager to be with him right away. Going on a whole dangerous mission on his own, turning Tilly into a vampire and all that, and he never told her anything…
Anyway, excited to hear from Sophie again! I’m rooting for them to get together nonetheless. It’s so sweet how much Seb loves her.
I heard this one never even hit the reader. I am confused too. And the post that went out today didn’t go to peoples’ emails, I am told. I can’t figure it out.
I’m so glad you clicked on it. 🙂
There usually is a catch to the “plan,” isn’t there? You’re probably right about the revenge aspect. Stay tuned. lol
I think Sophie won’t know the full extent of Seb’s activities… until this week and next week’s chapter. She’ll probably find it all very disturbing.
Well, it least I can see this week’s post in my reader now!I need to get back to the one before that though. I read it a long time ago, just never commented.
Okay, I hope you like it. 🙂
I’ve only read bits and pieces of the story, Kymber, but I love your talent, the mood, and characterizations here, as well as reading through the comments. And the images are great fun, especially those eyes! Happy Writing!
Thank you so much, Diana! I’m so pleased you like what you’ve seen of it. 🙂 You are very kind.
I’m glad Seb’s father kept his side of the bargain, now if Tilly just disappears things will be good!
I went back and forth about Seb’s father, but because of future events that I’m planning, it had to go this way.
I agree with you about Tilly! lol
That image of her surrounded by power was perfect. I love that–maybe–he’s escaped the vampires.
Thank you, Jacquie! Let’s hope he has anyway. 😀 lol
Take that Tilly. Sadly, I’m sorta afraid she might try to retaliate. Yikes. And I do hope that Sophie hasn’t found someone new and won’t be upset about what Seb has done. Can’t wait for the reunion.
Right on, take that, Tilly! I can see why that bothers you as that is definitely something she would do. For Seb’s sake, hopefully, Sophie will not know what all he’s done. lol I can’t wait for the reunion, too.
Is it unkind that I suspect Tilly will be treated like a loose end, and be made into a snack, servant, or killed as the one who did the dead never to be heard from again other than as a missing/deceased note in a police log.
I don’t think that’s unkind to feel that way. She is incredibly self-absorbed. I like the snack idea! haha
I bet that will end like Beauty and the Beast, where she’d recognize him because of his eyes 😉 I’m a hopeless romantic. LOL!
Ohhhh, his eyes! I can’t wait for you to see them! I’m a hopeless romantic, too.
Wow! I was half-expecting what happened to Sebastian to have an effect on Tilly, but whoa! I’m glad he did what he did though. <3 I hope he and Sophie reconnect soon. I love them together almost as much as I loved all life-long pairs in the story <3
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Hilly! ❤ I think you’ll see a reunion between Seb and Sophie soon… but will she want him the way he wants her? Let’s hope so!
WHOA! On so many accounts! So many things I want to say, it would take half a page! The only thing I will say is, I feel incredibly bad for Tilly. Not because she was turned human. I think back to Tilly in school and yes she was a bit of a stinker, but one has to wonder what her life would have turned out as, if she hadn’t met these two sisters. Because of them she started her down a path……. Where will she go from here I wonder? And will this be the last we see of her? Jail is always a possibility I suppose. Vengeance?
I can’t wait to see Sophie’s reaction when she sees him as human for the first time. Will she recognize him I wonder?
I totally get what you mean about Tilly, and that is a good question. Remember when Gigi predicted she would end up in a dark place? It’s too bad, perhaps, that Tilly didn’t cut Gigi out of her life then. More on Tilly soon.
I’m so looking forward to the reunion between Seb and Sophie. Hopefully, with your help, I will do it justice.