I Must Be Dreaming (12 page)

             
I had been doing pretty good staying safe when I started to hear his voice again, “You little bitch.” I searched around looking for him. I wanted him dead; drinking some of Molly's blood had given me a boost. “Come get me if you can.” He laughed. “Where are you?” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Right here bitch.” As soon as I turned around, there he stood not but ten feet away. He had two big black dogs beside him. I looked a little closer at the dogs. They had a black fire coming off of their bodies. “Too scared to fight by yourself, you have to get hell hounds to protect you.” Zadok said as he came to my side.  “I’ve had these good ole boys for years don’t you remember?” Zadok touched his side for a second as if it still hurt where their teeth had formed a scar and looked back up at him. Daymon glared at Zadok then snapped his fingers and the dogs came charging at us. Zadok had his sword ready; I was a little late because I couldn’t figure out why the dogs were on fire. Zadok swung and stabbed the first dog right in the chest. It made an awful howl and then kept snapping and growling at Zadok. I saw the second dog was he was in the air. He had jumped and was about to land on top of me when Jake struck him in his side with his fist. The dog still got close enough to me that it snatched the amulet right off of my neck. I bent down to pick up the amulet and things got a little wild.                                                         Zadok had killed his dog with his sword and made it turn to ash. He then ran over helping Jake with the other dog. I had the amulet in my fingertips when Daymon grabbed my hair from behind and jumped. The air was going by so fast. When we stopped I realized were up in a tree away from everyone looking down. I was screaming not from the height but because hair felt like it was being ripped out of my head. He let go of my hair and grabbed both my hands as I fell for a second. I looked backed down and realized he jumped and we were going up again.                                                                                    I could see we were getting further away from them and a fog started to appear below us. I managed to shift my body around to look Daymon right in the face. I couldn’t move my hands. I needed him to let go, so I spit right in his face. “You will pay for that bitch. You are nothing but a spoiled little girl and its time you learn your place.” He smiled something evil. “Say hi to your mother for me.” He laughed and I saw at that moment he was going to bite me and I‘m sure drain me as he did her. I had a flicker of thought for him to do it and get it over with. I was tired of fighting and running but then Jake popped in my head and Zadok and Karri. I could never leave them. I looked back up; Daymon's face was getting closer as he bent down. “You truly are a sick man. Kill my mother, the woman you supposedly love and your own brother by blood!” I couldn't think of anything else to do but stall. I could tell he was buying it. And hopefully me time so I could figure out what to do next. “I told you, Cora had a choice but she chose to die. Victor chose the righteous path over his brother." He paused for a second thinking. "I did hate to see him die but everyone makes their own choice.” I saw what I think was a bit of guilt in his eyes but it was gone just as fast as it came.                                           I was looking at my surroundings, we were up at the top of the tree and I do mean top. I think we were floating somehow and I realized this is where he had been. Up here watching the whole fight go on and signaling for others to come. I backed away a little and heard the branch crack. Ok so if I go too far away from him I will be on the tree. “So just because they didn’t agree with you, you decide to kill them? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!” I figured the only way was either kill him now or jump down. Even for a vampire that was a long, long way down. It would hurt and I would probably break a few bones but I don’t think I would die, I don’t think. “I would have given Cora and you the best life but she didn’t want that. She was in love with Zadok, but you know I tempted her once. I almost had her.” He was smiling to himself like a job well done. “What happened? Your spell didn’t work?”  “YOU! You happened and she ran back to him. Wanted him to be the father and raise you.”   “Zadok is my father. I know it, I can feel it.” I knew Zadok was my father, he had to be. “I have just as much chance to be your father as he does.”  “NO, you never had a chance. You don’t know what real love is." His eyes turned red with furry. He came at me and I made the decision right then to fight. I bald my fist up and hit him square in the nose as hard as I could. "That was for my mother!" I yelled as he stumbled backwards almost losing his balance and then his nose started to bleed. He laughed at me. I felt for the knife that Samuel had given me, the same one I killed Molly with. I grabbed it and swung; it slid right into his chest. I knew it didn’t kill him but it would wound him long enough for me to get away. But he acted like it didn’t faze him. I did the only thing I knew to do.                                                                       I just started stabbing him one blow after the other. He reached one more time but very slow and caught my hair but he started to fall. I went limb by limb down after him. About half way down he got caught on one of the larger limbs, I stopped right above him. I snatched my hair out of his grip.                                                                                                  I could see Jake was already on his way up. I crawled down and stepped onto the limb Daymon was on, he looked dead but I knew he wasn’t; not yet anyways. Daymon’s hand went up and snatched my ankle; we both went tumbling down again hitting each branch on the way. I hit the ground hard. I think I lost conciseness for a minute because I felt like I was floating in the air. I saw my body on the ground with Jake and everyone running over to see. I looked around and I saw the little psyche that gave me the key. She waved her hand for me to follow. I hesitated for just a second looking back at my body and then went with her. She showed me a waterfall and kept pointing to it and showed the key. I was confused about
the key and the waterfall but didn’t have time to ask because I started to float back to my body and fast.

             
I opened my eyes and saw Jake kneeling over me. He picked me up and hugged me. “Where is Daymon?” I breathed out. Jake was holding me and Zadok was rubbing my hair. “He is dead my dear. When he fell he was wounded badly; not to mention what you had done to him. I cut his head off; he can no longer hurt you.” I breathed a huge sigh and leaned into Jake some more. Everyone had stopped fighting and was gathering bodies. Only a few of his men got away the rest were killed. Zadok promised they would be hunted down and killed. “No one that resided with Daymon will live to tell about it.”                                                                        Jake took me back to the tree house so I could rest a bit away from everyone, but I was not tired anymore. I couldn't believe Daymon really was dead and now I only had the future to look to. Zadok came up and sat with me until he thought I was ready to travel. He asked that everyone leave us. He told Jake we had much to discuss on the way to the cabin. He wanted to escort me back so we headed back to his cabin to stay the night.                                                                       We stayed up talking all night about what had happened and how to help me remember. He told me that if I wanted to come live with him I was more than welcome, he also told me a few things like when I was turning eighteen he and my mom had decided to move us back to the City of Lights. They wanted me to know all my roots and let me decide for myself where I wanted to be. Plus they had hoped I would find a guy and settle down there. But that’s when Daymon killed her. He said he missed my mom greatly and I was a lot like my mom. Of course he was happy about Jake, said he was the perfect match. He also told me that I did have some family still out there and that we would discuss finding them later, he wanted to be selfish for a little bit. I told him I didn’t mind.                                                                                                                After a couple of days of resting Zadok said that we had to go back to the City of Lights for one more meeting. We had to tell the events of this fight, they keep everything in books kind of like history books for us. I was a little excited to go back there. We really didn’t get a chance to do anything while we were there. I wanted to go explore around the island more. Plus I wanted to spend some more time with Zadok. A feel close to my mom again.

FINALLY HAPPY

             
I forgot that I didn’t like little boats, we were on the way to the City of Lights again and I was a little sea sick. Zadok had made arrangements for everyone to head back to their families except a select few. He said all of them would be rewarded and the families of the ones who died would receive a big reward and honor for the ones lost. All the bodies had been burned and tossed out at sea. That was a great honor for vampires. Well that is what Jamie told me. I was glad I had Jamie to tell me things that Zadok and Jake normally wouldn’t.                                                                                                  I was pretty happy at the way things turned out. I mean don’t get me wrong I would have loved to cut out the whole Daymon thing but if that’s what it took for us to be happy and finally have a family then so be it. All the pain and suffering was at least for something.

             
When we made it to the City of Lights I could not have been happier to be on land. If no one would have been watching me I would have kissed the ground. I looked up over that hill and it was just like I remembered it, so beautiful and the lights all still on. I almost could say I missed it. As we walked up the hill a huge white carriage with four white horses was there waiting. Zadok being one of the oldest and one of the richest, you could say he had special treatment. We got in the carriage looking thing and it looked just like a limo on the inside, except all white instead of black. I forget how strange things can be around here. It took us through the country side to Zadok’s home here on the Island. When we turned on the gravel road I saw the house. It was no house it was a mansion. It was three stories high, each level with its own wrap around deck. The yard had a few pecan trees and one big weeping willow tree in front of the house. It was landscaped perfect, all twenty acres. I could swear this was right out of a plantation.                            The inside was just as stunning as the outside. Chandlers hanging in each room, fireplaces, big screen TVs. The floor even shinned, real hard wood and marble. Zadok told me and Jake the third floor was ours. We walked up the massive stair case and made it to the third floor. We had three bedrooms, three baths, a media room with all kinds of gaming systems, and a projection TV with surround sound. It had a small kitchen that of course was stocked full of blood I'm sure human. Jake grabbed one out while we walked around. As we made our way around the third floor I found the master bedroom and my mouth dropped.                                           The king size bed was absolutely breath taking. “I think this bed belonged to a king or queen.” I looked at Jake as he came in. “How do you know?” He asked and I pointed to the headboard. “It has some kind of seal on it.” Jake pointed to the footboard. "I think your right."  “I know I'm right, I remember seeing this symbol on the antique road show. This stuff is worth thousands if not millions.” He grinned at me after I said that. So what if I secretly liked watching that show. He watched reruns of the old batman shows when he thought everyone was asleep.                            We had a large stone fire place and enough space to be a small apartment just in this room. Zadok was behind me, “I had my guardians get you and Jake some clothes and things you may need. They are in the closets in the bathroom.” I turned and smiled. “This is amazing. You shouldn’t have.” My eyes were still full of wonder. “Isadora I have plenty of money and what is it good for if I can’t spend it on my only daughter?” I turned to him and hugged his neck. A tear ran down my cheek. “What’s wrong Izzy? Did I say something wrong?” I shook my head side to side. “No, not at all. I…I’m just finally happy! I have a father, a family. I have everything.” He smiled back at me and kissed the top of my head. “I love you sweetheart.”  “I love you too, dad.” Those words came out so natural. He looked like he was about to cry himself. He gathered himself up fast. “Now you two have the rest of the night and day before we meet with the council. You are free to go explore the city or stay here. Jamie and few others are staying on the first and second floor but you and Jake have the third to yourself.”  “Thank you, I think I want to stay in tonight but maybe go explore tomorrow.”  “Very well, have a good night.” He said as he looked from me to Jake. Jake bowed his head at him. “Thank you sir.” Jake said to Zadok as he left the room. As soon as he was gone I ran and jumped on the bed. This was a dream come true.

             
Jake had been quite all of a sudden. “What’s wrong Jake?”  “I’m just worried you won’t leave this to come home with me back to Mobile.” My smile faded fast. “I haven’t even thought of going home.” I lied to him, I had thought about it and I don't want to leave. “He will want you to stay, he is your father and you have a lot to catch up on." He hesitated for a moment. "I have to return after the meeting. I have my duties and I know the crime rate has probably gone up since no one is there to keep the bogyman in line.” He had smiled when he said bogyman. “Jake I don’t know what I will do but staying away from you is not on my to do list. But I do want to stay a few days with Zadok and spend some time learning about the City but I’m not going to live without you.” Jake looked relieved, “I don’t want to be without you either but I don’t want to make you leave this place.” He held his hands out pointing around the room. “I don’t want to discuss this anymore, let’s go take a bath and relax. We are alone you know!” He knew exactly what I was talking about. I’m not sure who was faster taking their clothes off me or him. The rest of the night we laid in bed watched movies and made up for lost time in the woods.