4.21 A New Threat

Quinn entered the room expecting to see more Elysians to be present at the meeting. "Let's make this quick," she said walking towards the couple standing by a long conference table "I have important business to attend to."

The purple male frowned in response to her announcement. His female counterpart stepped forward blocking Quinn's advancement towards the table. "How dare you imply this meeting is a waste of your precious time," blue skinned woman growled.

Quinn eyed the woman with distaste "I didn't imply anything. I believe I said it." She tossed her hair over her shoulder as if to dismiss the girl. Turning her attention wholly on the male she repeated "I'm a busy person. State your business before I lose my patience."

"Our business is the same as it has always been" he snapped crossing his arms.

"Then you're wasting my time," she turned to find her exit blocked by the girl "out of my way," she ordered.

"Not until you've listened to our demands."

"Demands?" Quinn asked incredulity in her voice "you ask for the impossible."

"It's not impossible" the woman spat at her "Silver is proof it's not impossible."

"Don't bring that vile creature into this," Quinn hissed "he's the epitome of why this is impossible."

"You don't know that," the woman retorted "how do you know the next won't be better?"

"How do I know the next won't be worse?" Quinn asked unmoved by the girls argument or the man's silence.

"We want children" the woman cried giving way to tears "our own children."

"Don't you think I want the same?" Quinn asked her voice rising "I tried to help you once. I failed."

"Look at us," the man all but shouted "we have the appearance of youthful vigor but we're both millions of years old."

"Our reproductive powers were take from us," the woman wailed "stolen without our consent."

Shaking her head Quinn's eyes narrowed "you agreed in exchange for immortality. It was my mistake to interfere."

"It was nothing more than a punishment. Having to raise someone else's children while never being able to have our own." The man shook his fist in the air in front of Quinn's face "can't you see our torment?"

Quinn put her hands over her ears. She had heard this hundreds of times before. The argument hadn't changed. The IF's were made as a direct result of the Elysian's quest to reproduce. Was it wrong? Quinn couldn't find it within her to blame them. It was what motivated her to try and help them once "I'm sorry I failed."

"All we're asking is for you to try again" the man implored.

"You're in charge of fertility...." the woman pointed out.

"I was in charge" Quinn shouted losing her temper trapped between what she should do and what she could do "I can't help you. I can't even help myself. I'm as barren as you are."

***

Heath stopped packing to stare out the window at the familiar view. In the few short years since they had come to Moonlight Falls it had become home to him.

"Honey what is it?" Don asked moving up beside him.

Heath turned shaking his head. He felt Don's arms slip comfortingly around him "I'm worried...no I'm afraid...."

"Of what?" Don asked "of moving to Midnight Hollow? You can do this. Your Dad wouldn't have asked this of you if you couldn't do it."

"Everyone has so much confidence in me," Heath mumbled "what if I make a mistake?"

"Honey everyone makes mistakes even those in charge," Don gently pulled his husband close "the trick is what we do after we make the mistake." He looked into his husbands troubled blue eyes "I have a feeling there's  more to this then fear of making mistakes."

Heath moved away rubbing his hands up and down his arms "my only experience with IF's haven't been exactly good."

"Your mother and Mr Lawrence" Don supplied the names watching as Heath nodded unhappily "you can't let them hold you back."

"What if..." Heath's voice drifted away. It was an old fear. One he had since he was a young child.

"Life is full of what ifs" Don took Heath's hand in his "all IF's aren't the same. They're different. You're Uncle Kyle is an example of that. He's as different from his dad as summer is to winter."

"I know" Heath sighed "what if I..." he couldn't say it. It was to horrible to contemplate.

"Are you afraid you'll become like your mother?" Don asked "you know you have nothing to worry about right? Kyle hasn't turned into his father so you won't become your mother. It's an 

impossibility."

"Thank you" Heath murmured leaning into Don "I needed to hear that."

"That's what I'm here for," Don squeezed him tight.

***

Kimberly listened to the hushed sounds of her parents moving around in their room. She knew how upset her dad was about taking a leadership role among people he didn't understand or trust. She sent a comforting thought to him with her mind. She felt his turmoil mix with relief "daddy I love you ."

"Don't worry about me sweet heart" he said to her. She could hear him chuckle inside her head "love you to baby girl."

Kimberly turned to find Everett watching her with Phoebe snuggled in his arms. "I'm never going to get used to that" he said giving her cheek a quick peck.

"Used to what?" she asked taking Phoebe from him "me talking to my dad?"

Rolling his eyes he shook his head "no. Of you communicating with him with your mind. I wish we could do that."

"If we could then we couldn't get married" she smiled up at him.

"Does that mean you will marry me?" he asked leaning in close.

"Maybe" she laughed skipping backwards as he tried to grab her.

"That's not an answer" he complained chasing her around the room to the obvious delight of their little girl. Her high pitched squeals filling the air around them.

"That's the only answer you're going to get until I get a proper proposal" she told him leaning against the wall catching her breath.

"What makes for a proper proposal?" Everett asked taking Phoebe from her arms. Setting her on the floor he turned back to Kimberly "a romantic candle lit dinner?" He kissed her cheek "a dozen red roses?" He kissed her other cheek "on bended knee?" He kissed her nose "words of undying love?" He brought his hands up to caress her face "sealed with a kiss." His mouth hovered above hers a moment before he pressed his lips down upon hers. His tongue brushing against hers in a fevered, passionate kiss.

***

Keenan waited by the bus stop watching as people went about their business. Some were going on vacations to exotic locations. Others were going home from business trips. Some were returning home to stay afraid the borders would close for good. Keenan always enjoyed coming here to watch people, wondering where they were going, what they had seen wishing he could be one of them. It wasn't to be. Not for him. He had to stay in Moonlight Falls. He was the future ruler. On his 21st birthday he would come into his powers becoming a full vampire. He would be expected to take his fathers place as ruler. 

His eyes darted around the bus stop wondering if he dared get on the waiting bus. Take one carefree trip leaving his guards behind. He should just go. Have one moment of carefree fun. He took a step forward when a young man stepped off the bus looking around eyes bright with curiosity. Keenan knew the visitor was human. That in itself wasn't strange but considering the strained relations between supernaturals and humans it was unusual a human would come to Moonlight Falls. In fact the only humans in Moonlight Falls were relatives of Keenan's. Serafino had revoked the visas of everyone else. Had his father invited this human to Moonlight Falls? 

Approaching him Keenan said "you're new. Did my father invite you to Moonlight Falls?"

The young man turned around a grin on his handsome face "depends on who your father is."

"I suppose it would," Keenan chuckled a little "it's just we don't get many humans here."

The boy frowned "how do you know I'm human?"

Shrugging Keenan half turned away as he said "by your smell mostly. Humans smell different from say vampires or werewolves."

Nodding the young man rubbed his chin thoughtfully "I'll have to remember that. I'm Thomas Bennett but all my friends call me Tommy."

"Any relation to Beverly Bennett?" Kennan asked his voice rising with excitement. It was a rare occasion he got to meet anyone from the Bennett side of the family.

"Do you know  her?" the boy asked with eagerness "she's my dad's Aunt."

"She's my mom," Keenan said "well step mom but she's like my mom. I mean..." he took a deep breath knowing he was rambling. He couldn't seem to stop his mouth from spilling words as they popped into his head when he was nervous or excited.

"Awesome" Tommy said "that makes us like cousins or something."

"Do  you have a place to stay?" Keenan asked.

"Well I..." a slight blush crept across Tommy's cheeks "I was hoping to stay with the family. At least until I found a place."

"Great" Keenan enthused picking up one of the boy's duffel bags "you can stay with me."

"You don't even know me," Tommy said uncertainty in his voice.

"You're family what else do I need to know?" Keenan laughed over his shoulder "besides the house is being torn upside down while my nephew Heath and his family are in the process of moving."

"You have your own place?" Tommy asked.

"Sure do" Keenan nodded "I could use the company."

"Are you sure it won't be an imposition to have me stay there?" Tommy asked "I don't want to put you out."

"No problem" Keenan said "just don't make eye contact with the guards and you'll do fine."

"Wait! What?" Tommy asked jogging to catch up to the white haired young man several steps ahead of him.

Time passed slowly for Phoenix in the sense he never stopped hoping Quinn would return even though he no longer went to their rendezvous spot. He had stopped trying to contact her as well after months of silence. Several years later he had grown to accept she was serious about not returning. There was no them. Never could be. He never should have let things become physical between them. He realized that now. Rules were rules for a reason. He broke them. He was paying for that oversight.

He heard the crash before the screams. Groaning he went to check on the twins. A smile spread across his face. He knew he shouldn't. It would only encourage them in the future. He really couldn't help it.

His son sat with a bowl on his head. Milk and cheerios dripping from his hair. "What happened little man?" he asked kneeling beside the toddler.

Peaking out from beneath the bowl a grin stretching his chubby cheeks "I did it," he announced proudly.

If he meant to make a mess he certainly succeeded Phoenix thought. "Yes you did" he said out loud.

Pointing towards the counter his sister added "he made it move."

Realization widened his eyes in shock. Phoenix had poured himself a bowl of cereal earlier. Too deep in thought he had forgotten to eat. Somehow his son had managed to pull it down from the counter. He gasped as shock swamped his senses. Not pulled down. Magic. His son was coming into his powers. Soon his sister would follow. Things had just become ten times worse. The council would no doubt detect the surge in power. How did he stop two year olds from using powers they didn't understand and couldn't control?

***

"Your boyfriend's in trouble" Silver announced as he watched her enter her haven.

Quinn's eyes narrowed as she caught  sight of Silver lounging in her favorite spot. "Leave" she commanded ignoring his comment.

"You should contact him" he continued "it's the least you could do after he gave birth to your children."

"My what?" she demanded his words finally making on impact on her. His silence greeted her question. She looked around to find she was alone once again. She stared at the spot Silver had been. There was no way Phoenix could have gotten pregnant. They had never....no wait there was that one night. One thing lead to another. He had asked if she could but that was impossible. That was her punishment on top of being sentenced to become this dimensions watcher.

She sank on the couch mind in a whirl. All she had wanted to do was help the Elysians. It was unfair they could never have children. The majority didn't even know why they were barren unable to conceive or why they were enslaved to become daycare providers to a race that ignored their young until adulthood. One selfish ruler who wanted immortality gave up the right to have children for his entire race. Enslaving them to the task of raising children not their own.

She felt their pain. Saw the injustice. She wanted to help. She thought she was helping. She used Elysian DNA mixed with IF magic and her own DNA to create a child. The result? Silver. He was supposed to be symbol of hope, a new beginning. Instead he was a catastrophic a mistake. A powerful creature with no compassion, no remorse.

That's when the council stepped in. She was punished for her crimes. She had interfered with the balance of a whole other dimension who relied upon the Elysians to care for their children. Within a few short generations that race completely died out. She had never meant to hurt anyone. Her punishment was this dimension. A world on the brink of extinction. She used her fertility expertise to populate the world.

The Elysians were consigned here with her in a separate realm of reality. Forever watching others have the children they couldn't have themselves. It was not unexpected that they rebelled. Sending the IF's to become friends with small children. Their prime directive to make those children give them life only to repay their love with hate. Fortunately that threat had been neutralized but Silver was churning things up again. How long before he incited them to try something else?

It would be easy to give in to Silver's demands but how long would it be before he realized it wasn't what he thought. He thought Adam was his bonded one because Adam bore his child. Unfortunately for Silver the bonding was achieved through trickery and Adam was not bonded to him. Silver's hate would only grow, knowing no bounds. It would eventually destroy this dimension.

Shaking her head Quinn brought her mind back to the present. Was Silver correct? If he was, how did he know? How had Phoenix become pregnant? Was it an unexpected side effect of her punishment or had Silver done something to cause this? She couldn't help but wonder why Phoenix hadn't tried to tell her. Had he tried all those times she had ignored his attempts to contact her? She stood up swaying on her feet. She clutched at the wall to steady herself, what was she going to do now?

***

Serafino glared across the desk at Adam. "Thank you for seeing me" he said attempting to maintain a pleasant tone.

"What do you want?" Adam asked dispensing with the pleasantries.

Serafino's eyes narrowed "I want a lot of things. For starters your head on a platter."

The assembled guards growled in unison a few even snarling. A hand gripped Serafino's shoulder firmly "leave now." 

"My business isn't finished" Serafino shook the guards hand from his shoulder. 

"You're finished when I say you are" the guard growled "you threatened the ruler's life. That is 

unacceptable."

Turning towards Adam "call your dogs off." 

Adam rose to his full height "I am through catering to the likes of you. I have tried to appease you. I have tried to be reasonable and listen to your demands." His voice rose "I will not be threatened in my own office. I will not be forced to do things I do not approve of nor believe in. You sir are out of line here."

Serafino rose eyes glowing with rage. Fangs extending to their sharpened glory "I am your better. I have been here more years than your family has been in existence."

"I may not be ancient royalty. I do however descend from ancient royalty. Alessandro was my ancestor as vile as he was. So do not use your pedigree against me. Mine is as long and as rich as yours." Adam nodded towards the guards "escort our guest out. We are finished here."

Serafino shouted "you'll regret this" as guards grabbed an arm each to drag him from the room.

***

Once Serafino was outside the castle walls the werewolves stood arms crossed barring access to the castle. He had no choice but to leave. "Tell your esteemed one I'll be back," Serafino advised the guards before stalking off.

He was met be another man. He bowed in deference to the mans age. He was more ancient then he was "can he be reasoned with?" the old one inquired.

"No he is as stubborn as his predecessor was" Serafino informed him excluding the fact he had threatened Adam's life without delivering his message.

"You said he was weak. Without support," the man's fury washed over Serafino likes wave in the ocean. 

"I may have been in error" he mumbled lowering his head in expectation of reproof.

"Very well. We will enact our alternate plan," the ancient one sighed "see to it," he commanded before vanishing.

Glancing at the spot his ancestor once stood Serafino grinned "one day I'll be ruler of Moonlight Falls. All humanity will fall at my feet not yours old man." Serafino knew the plan well altering it to fit his plans not the old man's. It was time he made his bid for dominance. No one and nothing would stand in his way especially no upstart vampire that had been the lowest of the low, a mere human.