The bond: chapter 2

Chapter 2 (I might make this chapter three and where Gregor’s perspective picks up – turn that into chapter 2)


Dear Sean,

I’m still here in Africa near Namibia, touring the unseen mysteries in the savanna. I’m currently studying earth magic with an African shaman, and with his help I’ve been able to get closer to the wild animals here. It’s more than I’ve ever dreamed I’d be able to do. He gave me this Laurel Wreath of Peace to hang around my neck, and as long as I wear it natural animals will accept me around them instead of reacting to the predator within me. The other night he and I visited a family of elephants where there was a sick calf. He taught me some more herbology as we gathered some natural ingredients to mix some medicine for the poor thing. I was amazed at how quickly the little guy recovered and was up and about eager to play with us. The family seemed very grateful and thanked us with pats from their trunks.

I topped the night off with him introducing me to a small pride of cheetahs. The cats and I had a lot of fun racing each other. They were very animated when they saw that I could keep up with them, and the shaman enjoyed watching me play with them. He told me that given enough time and practice that eventually I would be able to interact with animals without the awkward wreath, and not instill fear in them with just my presence. It’s hard for me to imagine, but something I would like to try.

Please reassure my father that I’m in safe company. I know how he worries about me especially when I’m spending time with anyone of the occult world that he doesn’t personally know. I sent him a leaf from the wreath I’ve been using. Even though it wont hold its enchantment after its been removed I’m sure he’ll still enjoy studying any residual magic it might contain and how he can apply it.

Father has told me of your choice to leave your sanctuary. I am both happy and worried for you. I know the past few years have been very difficult, and I am proud of how far you have come. We all knew that you would not be able to stay with us forever. The simple matter of what we are will always be a crippling barrier to our relationship, but the time you and father have endured is nothing short of amazing, and gives me hope that someday I might be able to meet you in person without the risk of any bloodshed.

I have always thought of you as a brother and have shared my fathers concern for your suffering. I believe your choice to leave is what’s best for now. People such as us were never meant to be kept behind walls, or under someone else’s protection, and if it helps you at all I told Gregor its better that you meet your destiny and confront that which threatens you. Please never forget that we are your family and will always be there for you, no matter what the future may hold.

Love Always,
Your sister Anna

P.S. The plastic bag contains some earth from the savanna itself. I collected it near a tree that the shaman placed great value on and that I’m learning has many mystical applications.




Sean set the letter down on the bed he was sitting on, and took the plastic ziplock bag out form the envelope. He unrolled it and held it up to look at the dirt inside. It wasn’t much, perhaps a tablespoon at most, and the color was light brown with small parts of it still clumped together. He opened the bag and held it near to his nose to see what it would smell like, and to try imagining himself standing in the middle of the grasslands.


He closed his eyes and inhaled the dry earthy scent. He could almost feel the arid heat drifting across the plains on a slow and lazy breeze and mixed in there was an ever so slight presence of Anna. It wasn’t hard to picture her beneath the star-filled night sky enjoying the untamed wilds, and perhaps wishing that he could share in her experience.


He held the bag next to his face for a short while before resealing it to preserve its scent. He sighed, almost feeling jealous of her freedom to explore and travel the world, but those thoughts were quickly substituted with the knowledge that today would be his last evening at the manor. Now the world seemed like a much bigger place and the possibilities of where he could go seemed endless.


Maybe he would visit the savanna and see the wild beauty of it all for himself. For a minute, he even entertained the idea of visiting Anna, but of course neither one of them were prepared for such an event that would surely become violent. There was one thing that he could do that she couldn’t and the simple thought of it brought a smile to his face. He could go to all the places she had been and see them during the day. Maybe he could return the kindness that she had shown him by sending her pictures of all the places she had been, but taken in the light of day.


Sean was excited that he was going to drive away from this place tonight, but he was also a bit scared. There were many unknowns about leaving here that had him concerned and he didn’t know exactly what to expect. Would he be able to make it on his own, out there in the real world despite having the stigma of a were-creature? He was still struggling with that aspect of himself, and discipline and control were ever an on going battle for him.


There was also the issue with the Veil. Would people from that secret government agency still be looking for him? Somehow they had identified a link between him and the giant werewolf, and had tried to use it to some unknown purpose. They were most definitely to blame for the way his life was now. Surely if they ever realized he was still alive they would try to take advantage of him again.


The question he feared the most was how would he deal with the monster that had bitten him if it found him again? He felt that by leaving the manor it was only a matter of time until that dreaded moment.


Twice in his earlier years of living at the manor the beast from his nightmare had reappeared. Once it happened when his uncle thought it would be safe for them to travel to Europe and see some of the old country. Another time he had ran away and was gone for three days before Gregor found him. In both situations the colossal creature had chased them with its focus mainly on Sean. If it hadn’t been for his uncle he wouldn’t be alive today. Sean owed him his life.


For the one hundredth time, he questioned the sanity of his decision to leave here, but he had already come to terms with it. If he stayed much longer his spirit would break, and he didn’t like to admit it, but he was feeling more and more as though his sanity was slipping too. Even while human his thoughts gave way to disturbingly violent ideas that he knew to be an aspect of the werewolf reacting to Gregor. The time he had spent here had taken its toll, and he no longer felt like he could trust himself. He needed to escape, and be on his own.


Sean refolded the letter around the little bag of dirt and placed it back into the envelope. He stood up and went over to his desk in the corner that had a box full of the last remnants of what he was going to take with him. Normally he would’ve filed it in one of the binders that he used to save all of Anna’s letters, but since that was already packed, he tucked it into the box to go through latter.


He turned around and leaned on the desk to take one last look of the room he had slept in for the last eight years. To his right was a sliding glass door that opened up to a small private balcony to the front of the house. The next corner over from that was a door that led into a personal full bathroom. He also had a large wall unit that went from his desk almost to where one of the closet doors slid open, and it was full of DVD’s, books, and a 48” wide screen television with a built in DVD player. The thing that dominated most of the room was the huge custom made bed with four sturdy corner posts, one of which had deep gouges in it from the first time he’d taken on werewolf form.


There were quite a few pieces of furniture around the house that he had left a mark on in one way or another throughout the past few years. If it looked brand new then he had probably damaged it so badly to warrant a replacement. The desk set was new, and the wall unit had been replaced for the ninth time last week, T.V. included, but the bed had only suffered those deep claw marks and never needed a replacement. Rebbecca had tried to get it fixed once, but Sean asked her to leave it. Most days it was the first thing he saw when he awoke and the last thing he saw before he went to sleep. It was an important reminder of what he was, and helped him never to pretend otherwise. He couldn’t help but to ask himself how was he going to fit into the world outside of the manor?


Werewolves in general kept to themselves and didn’t cause too much trouble as long as they stayed in their packs and limited their contact with humans. The Arcanus even played a role in protecting were creatures from outsiders and keeping their existence a secret. However, there were always a few that tried to continue their lives inside human society, and they were the ones that had to be closely watched. Sooner or later something bad would happen, and their natures would be revealed in one violent fashion or another. When such incidents occurred the unfortunate shape shifter became the target of both the mundane and supernatural world, and as such were commonly captured or killed. Along with that negative stigma, Sean specifically had already been on the Veil’s list of wanted individuals, so he especially understood that he would have to keep a low profile.


Despite the good intentions of the Arcanus, Sean didn’t feel he could trust them. Someone like himself living among the normal population would automatically be labeled as a potential danger, and as such viewed with certain prejudice. The slightest misstep could get him into big trouble whether he was right or wrong. In the eventuality a were creature did hurt someone in their alternate form, or worse, kill, and it was discovered that they were responsible, then the Knights of Merlin would be tasked to bring justice to the unfortunate soul. Death was a common solution. If it wasn’t for his uncle Sean would have likely suffered such a fate four years ago when he had killed three men.

(from here…)
He frowned as he recalled what he knew of that night. The three men were drunken hunters that had hopped the wall of the estate looking for some sport. Unfortunately for them it just happened to be on a night when Sean was in werewolf form and very near where they had trespassed. He didn’t know much of what happened that night, but when he awoke the next morning he knew something was wrong.


It was true what they said, that once you kill another human being it forever changed you. At the time he didn’t know what it was that was wrong, but he could feel it inside of himself. Something felt off, or out of place, and he had this dreadful feeling that as a werewolf he had done something… wrong.


It wasn’t until later that day, through his persistence that he found out the truth. At first his uncle tried to hide it from him, but that only made Sean more determined to find out. Rather than try to block Sean from knowing and create a rift in the precarious bond they had built, Gregor decided that it would be wiser to let Sean understand the reality of that night and learn from it.


Sean had no conscious memories of what had happened, so most of his knowledge came from his uncle’s recounting. Unfortunately Gregor’s arrival on the scene was too late to alter what had been done. The only thing he could do was chase his nephew away and prevent him from further mauling the corpses. Fortunately for his nephew Gregor was able to use his resources to keep the whole incident localized and avert the attention of the Arcanus, or anyone else that could recognize the truth of the matter. (to here may not be needed, slows the pace down too much)


The thought of what he had done still plagued him, and he imagined it would be a stain on his soul that he would feel forever. However, his uncle encouraged him to turn the experience into something positive. He suggested that Sean use it as a lesson in respect to the power he wielded, and to fuel his efforts in mastering his werewolf nature.


He stood up wanting to escape such morose thoughts, and decided that moving around would help. He lifted the box from the desk and headed out of his bed room. The door was caddy cornered to the beginning of the hallway, and opened up to the second floor foyer. It was right next to the grand stairs, and as soon as he walked out of his room he could look over the banister to the main foyer down below. He headed down the red carpeted stairs carrying in both hands the last of what he was taking with him, and headed straight for the front doors.


As he passed through the downstairs foyer he could smell the delicious blend of spices coming from the kitchen, and his stomach growled in anticipation of tonight’s dinner. He was abruptly aware of how little he had eaten all day, and in fact he could only recall having eaten a buttered bagel for breakfast. He had been so caught up in memories and distracted with the idea of finally being able to leave the manor he had completely forgotten to eat anything else. The food Rebbecca was making was for a special dinner in Sean’s honor, and with the way it smelled, his mouth practically was watering with the anticipation. (can I improve the description of smell here?)


Despite how hungry he was he still wanted to just jump into his car and drive right on out of here, but he had promised his uncle that he would give him the chance to see him off. Besides he would feel terrible if he left without eating. It would’ve been completely disrespectful to the people that had been his family for the past several years.


Rebbecca and Daniel had treated him almost as if he were their grandson, and Carlos, in his quiet way, was more like an uncle to him in the way that he thought an uncle might be. Although Gregor was in truth an uncle by blood, he felt more like a father figure to Sean. The man had treated him as though he were his own son. Despite the animosity that they both shared toward one another they had still been able to forge a bond of respect and caring.


It was an achievement that all those of the magic community swore could not be done. They all believed it was a fact that vampires and were-creatures could never coexist on any level other than primal hostility. If it wasn’t for his uncle’s persistence and open mindedness then such a thing might still hold true today, but that was not the case. Both of them were living proof that no matter how deeply magic might have embedded the deadly hatred they shared the human spirit could still prevail and overcome such dark intent. However, their accomplishment could not be shared with the rest of the world, because according to the Veil Sean wasn’t even suppose to exist. In Gregor’s opinion that was Sean’s best defense against that organization.


He stood just outside the front doors on the dais staring off into the distance without seeing the evening sun. The day had dragged slowly by for Sean as everything he did and saw stirred up memories of how he had spent his years here. He shook his head to clear his mind of any more reflections of the past so he could put the last box into the back seat of the white two door Honda Accord. Certainly not the car he would have chosen to take, but it was the one that his uncle had insisted on. Gregor said it had the best crash rating and until Sean had experienced a car accident or two he wasn’t going to let his nephew go hot rodding around in anything with less protection.


It had rained almost all day, and he had stayed inside for the most part organizing and reminiscing. Only in the past hour did the storm finally break and allow the setting sun to show itself between the horizon and the ceiling of clouds. After the rain had been reduced to a drizzle he had pulled his car up to the front of the house, as near to the front steps as possible without actually hitting them, to make it more convenient to load. Standing at the passenger side door he placed the edge of the box up against the rear, near the trunk, to free a hand and open up the door. He placed it on top of another box in the back seat that was packed to the brim with books he had wanted to read and or review. He tried unsuccessfully the first time to close the door, but after he shifted a few things over he made it so that everything would fit and the door closed with a satisfying click.


It was done. He was finally packed and ready to go. He still couldn’t believe it, but this was truly his last day here and he was about to head off on his own. The full impact of that thought hit him just then as he accepted that this was really going to happen. Uncertainty shook his resolve for a brief minute, and questions of where he would go and what he would do filled his mind. Would he be able to keep himself from harming anyone? Might this whole venture end in disaster for him? How long would he have? (might be too redundant that he’s second guessing again, could lessen the impact)


“Red sky at night, sailors delight,” came a voice from over his shoulder.


It was the grounds keeper, Carlos. He was relatively short standing at about 5’ 6”, and had broad shoulders for his small frame. He stayed fit and worked out regularly which gave him the look of a professional weight lifter. His skin was a natural tan color and his speckled white hair was swept back into a nine inch pony tail. He was wearing brown coveralls and workmen’s boots that showed evidence of dampness since he had been working outside despite the light rain that was falling down now.


His comment broke Sean from his reflections of the future and he realized that he was staring off in the direction of the setting sun. The sky was turning into a beautiful pastel sunset with red mostly dominating the sky.


“Huh? What do you mean?”


“I mean that it’s a good omen for you,” Carlos replied. “It’s a little saying that I picked up while I was in the service. The whole thing goes, ‘Red sky at morning, sailor take warning. Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.’ In this case since it’s at night it means that the waters will be calm and you’ll have smooth sailing ahead. It’s a good sign for you.”


Sean had to admit there was a certain peacefulness in the air. The trees relaxed in the damp stillness, and their leaves sagged with moisture, tired from the storm winds that had just passed. There were even a couple of birds that could be heard in the distance singing back and forth to each other with the remaining bit of daylight left to them. He inhaled deeply and slowly, taking in the fresh clean smells that the rain had left behind. It seemed appropriate to Sean since he was about to make a new start for himself. Maybe there was something to what Carols had said, and he would have a good beginning.


“Come on,” Carlos said, as he patted Sean on the shoulder in a friendly manner, “Let’s go wash up and eat. I can smell Mrs. Rebecca’s cooking from here, and its making me even hungrier.”


The two of them went through the foyer, down the hall and into the kitchen. Rebecca stood at the stove using a wooden spoon to stir some of her homemade gravy, while Daniel was finishing with setting the table. Daniel greeted the two of them with a smile and was about to say something, but before either one of them could step foot into the kitchen Rebecca announced aloud, “The two of you better not be leaving wet and muddy tracks on the floor.”


Both Sean and Carlos looked down at their feet to check. Unfortunately for Carlos he had been outside recently clearing the long driveway of branches and debris that the storm had left in its wake, and his boots did have a bit of mud clinging to them. A glance the way they had come showed them what Rebecca had already suspected.


“Whoops! Looks like I’m guilty as charged,” Carlos confessed. “Sorry Mrs. Rebecca, I’ll get that cleaned up right away.” He started to take off his boots right there so as not to continue tracking more dirt throughout the manor.


“I’ll help you!” Sean offered and headed over to where the dustpan and broom were hanging and picked them up.


“No, no, no! I got this Sean,” Carlos said with grin, showing his appreciation for Sean’s offer.


“Why don’t you give an old lady a hand with bringing the food over to the table instead,” Rebecca asked as she slid one of the pots off the glass top stove.


Sean handed the broom off to Carlos and crossed the kitchen to where Rebecca now stood bent in front of the open oven poking at the marinated steak to make sure it was properly cooked. The delicious scent of the meat wafted up to his nose and he could feel his mouth begin to involuntarily water. His stomach gave another audible protest at him for not having eaten anything yet today.


Rebecca looked up at him in response to his sound of hunger as she said, “Oh, dear! If Master Gregor doesn’t make his way to the dinner table soon I think we might start without him.”


Sean looked at her apologetically, “Sorry.”


“Hush, hush! You just get this food over to that table and we’ll get you fed properly.”


Sean made a couple of trips from one side of the kitchen to the other carrying serving dishes and simple condiments. Daniel of course helped out with the last bit of remaining food to be brought over to the kitchen table, and they were done in no time.


“Why don’t you go ahead and dig in,” Rebecca told Sean directly.


“But don’t you want to say grace with everyone here?” Sean asked.


“Bah! The food will be just as good before and after we say such things. No sense in prolonging your torture.”


Sean couldn’t help but to feel touched by her comment, and shook his head slightly. He loved the way Rebecca said and handled things in her own practical way. She preferred to keep things simple and generally held a no nonsense attitude. If Sean had a grandmother he would’ve wished for this generous uncomplicated woman to have been it.


“Ahh, as always Rebecca your timing and culinary skills are superb.” Gregor’s voice came from the hall entrance way as he stepped into the kitchen. Sean couldn’t help the feeling of his hackles rising as his uncle’s presence washed over him like a wave of cool air. The air didn’t actually drop in temperature, but there was some sense of conflict as the two diametrically opposed beings stood in the same room. Perhaps it was something in the psychic aether that existed just below the normal realm of perception, but whatever it was everyone in the room could feel it and a moments doubt was cast upon this evening’s meal.


The tension subsided when Sean gave his uncle a smile that touched his eyes more than his lips, and nodded his head in greeting. He bit his tongue and kept his lips together lest he inadvertently let a snarl escape his mouth and unnecessarily instigate a disastrous evening for all. Gregor returned a similar greeting to Sean as he glided over to his preferred seat.


Unlike the table in the dining hall this one was round and offered no seat of higher status over another. However, the place at the table Gregor preferred to sit at was the chair that had its back to the corner. It was a secure seat in that it allowed him to comfortably see all that was in the room without having to shift his head from side to side. Even though there were negative aspects to having ones back in a corner, Sean probably would’ve chosen the same seat too if he were Gregor. The better to keep an eye on what’s in front without worrying about what’s behind.


“Thank you master Gregor, but you on the other hand could have gotten up here a bit earlier to help out.” Rebecca said as she removed her apron and hung it on hook near where she had been preparing tonight’s dinner. The bite in her words had the other three gentlemen in the room turning their heads in her direction with different degrees of surprise on their faces.


“Why Rebecca, I thought you were quite adamant about me not helping you with common chores such as this.”


“I wasn’t talking about the kitchen work you old fool! I meant that you could’ve spent the time with your nephew helping him pack things into that car of his. And don’t you give me any lip about the sun. It was cloudy enough all day where it wouldn’t have harmed you any.”


It wasn’t unusual for her to talk to Gregor in such a way. Once she had overcame her initial shock about her current employer and the supernatural world that she was now privy to by association, she treated Gregor just like she would any other person. With her open sense of practical honesty. Daniel was never comfortable with how she would talk back to Gregor, and despite how often it happened Daniel almost always wore a shocked expression. Gregor, on the other hand, had found it refreshing and appreciated being treated more like a human being rather than a creature to be respected out of fear. Rebecca recognized that underneath all that he was, he was still just a person and as capable of thinking and feeling as any other decent man could be. She felt that it was always good to remind Gregor of such things, and he rarely disagreed with her.


“Is Carlos going to join us?” Gregor asked while they all took a seat and sat down.


“I’m right here boss!” Carlos announced as he hurried into the kitchen and joined the rest of them at the table. “I had to clean up a bit first.”


“Excellent! Now that we’re all present, with your permission Rebecca and Daniel, I would like to say Grace.” Gregor looked at the Rosenblatt’s with his eyebrows partially raised, waiting to see the response of his query. Both of them looked back at him with stunned expressions on their faces.


Rebecca couldn’t help herself and had to ask, “Why all of a sudden are you showing an interest in my religion? For that matter why are you showing an interest in religion at all?”


“Rebecca!” Daniel protested his wife’s inquisition, but Gregor dismissed it with a wave of his hand.


“I understand that our views are not in full agreement upon such spiritual matters, but I respect your beliefs and consider them to be as important as my own. I wish to honor you and to show my gratitude for the food that you have worked so hard on preparing, in addition to the friendship and loyalty that you have demonstrated throughout the years.”


“Oh, very well. I guess it couldn’t hurt none.” Rebecca tried to hide the vaguest impression of a smile that crept onto her face by looking down and adjusting herself in the seat. With her consent, the five of them joined hands and bowed their heads in prayer.


“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here as family and friends to enjoy a final meal together before one of us leaves to embark on a journey of self discovery. Sean’s arrival here was a shock and a trial for all of us on different levels, but throughout the experience we have grown and were made all the better for it. We have also come to value Sean as a member of this family and to receive his love in our hearts. I pray that as he travels down the road of fate that should he go astray that the light from our hearts may serve to guide him back to us whole of body and sound of mind. Amen.”


Sean barely waited a second before he was reaching for the platter with the pre-sliced marinated steak on it. He couldn’t even wait for seasoned potatoes, mixed vegetables, and home made onion rings to make their circuit around the table before he was taking bites out of what was already on his plate. The first mouthful he barely chewed before swallowing. It was just a relief to have something in his stomach. His second bite of the tasty steak he gave himself more of a chance to enjoy. The sweet mouth-watering juices of the tender meat washed over his taste buds with a satisfying flavor. After a couple more bites he paused long enough to give Rebecca and Daniel thanks for putting together such an excellent meal.


During the prayer Sean could feel his skin slightly tingle in a most suspicious manner as his uncle spoke certain words. He couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps his uncle had an ulterior motive for saying grace. Did Gregor invoke magical energies right then and there? It bothered Sean the thought of his uncle manipulating someone else’s sacred beliefs in order to fulfill some prerequisite for a ritual. But what was he to do? He certainly wasn’t going to ruin his last meal here with accusations toward his uncle, besides he never used magic haphazardly and without a good reason. Sean felt it was best to just trust in whatever his uncle was up to and leave well enough alone.


Normally it was Rebecca that insisted on saying grace before every meal, and out of respect to her and her husband everyone else allowed them this privilege. Sometimes even Carlos would add something to the prayer, but Sean and his uncle were often respectfully silent.


Gregor was strongly agnostic and was skeptical about religion in general. He didn’t openly say so much, but the way he viewed the world he had very little personal use for religion in his life. He was every bit a man of the mind and trusted what his senses and logic told him about the world. He didn’t feel it necessary to discredit other people’s beliefs as long as they weren’t doing anything to step on his toes. As for the Rosenblatt’s they weren’t religious fanatics, so it didn’t bother Gregor to let them indulge openly in their faith. He understood that religion was often something that older people wrapped around themselves as they approached the end of their lives. It was the strength of that faith that helped them enter the great unknown of the afterlife, whatever they envisioned it to be.


Sean wondered if Gregor had offered his version of eternal life, but before the thought could go too far he disregarded the notion. The Rosenblatt’s would never have asked for such a thing, and his uncle was wise enough not to offend them with the notion of turning the old couple.


“So any idea of where you’re off too?” Daniel asked Sean as he began cutting his steak up into bite size pieces.


“I was thinking of going back to where I grew up.” Sean looked up at everyone else hoping to see their reactions to his destination of choice. Daniel and Carlos nodded thoughtfully, Rebecca gave her audible approval with, “Good for you”, and Gregor remained neutral and expressionless. It was his uncle’s response that he valued the most, and he was the one who revealed the least of what he thought. He knew that his uncle was doing it on purpose, and that fact just irritated Sean. Why would Gregor choose to hide his reaction to his decision of where he wanted to go? Sean feared that this dinner wasn’t going to end well. The irritation he was beginning to feel coupled with their opposing nature was surely a recipe for disaster.


Sean held his breath as he waited for the internal animal to react to the vampire sitting opposite of him, but nothing rose up. There was no involuntary snarl or a lunge across the table. There wasn’t even a twisting sensation in his gut of hate and revulsion, just the anticipation of it, but no more. He let himself breathe easy and noticed that even the air didn’t carry the usual permeating scent of a vampire on his home turf.


Sean was grateful and suspicious by this unusual change, even though he didn’t fully understand how it was possible. Although, he had his suspicions it was somehow connected to the tingling sensation he had felt up and down his arms after his uncle had said grace. He couldn’t disagree with the relief he was feeling at being able to be around his uncle and not feel his presence aggravating him, but also didn’t feel completely right about him having seemingly manipulated the others without their knowledge. He chewed his food as his conscious wrestled with his mixed feelings.


“Where about is that exactly?” Carlos asked.


“In (insert state here) near (insert name of small town here). I really can’t remember much of the place other than I used to live in a house on the outskirts of town. I doubt there’s much left after all these years, but I’d still like to go and see if I recognize anything from the surrounding area.”


The truth of how the house had been destroyed was disturbing to the Rosenblatt’s and Carlos, so the few occasions the topic had come up they managed to avoid getting into detail. It even bothered Sean, but for different reasons. Sean had been there and lived through it. Although he couldn’t remember anything specific, he could recall some of what he had felt. The others were bothered by the mention of it because it seemed too incredible to have happened. Sometimes he had to wonder if it was better to not know and pretend that monsters existed or to know beyond any doubt exactly how real they were.


“Sounds like a good place to start,” Carlos commented. “Maybe you might find something’s familiar and stir up some old memories.”


“Yea,” Sean replied a bit solemnly, “I just hope they’re not all bad memories.”


“If you do manage to recall anything I’m sure you’ll find many happy memories.” Gregor finally responded.


“I hope so.”


“Oh, I’m sure you will,” Rebecca encouraged.


“What were my parents like?” Sean asked his uncle. This wasn’t the first time he had asked, but it had been a while since he had a good reminder of the family he had forgotten.


“Your mother had beautiful golden hair that framed her face perfectly and gentle eyes that somehow seemed to maintain a quality of innocence throughout her years despite what life had thrown at her. She grew up on a little farm in Arkansas, and her family didn’t have a lot of money, but she was fortunate enough to scrape enough scholarship money together to pay for her college education. She finished with a degree in psychology and then shortly after she retuned home the Veil made her a job offer.


“At some point the Veil had received a tipoff that your mother had clairvoyant abilities of extensive range. When they tested her she was able to view in fine detail remote locations that she didn’t even have a connection to, but it seemed she wasn’t able to maintain her sight for too long of a period. Personally I felt she had lied about that last part, but always kept it to herself.”


“I never knew his mother had psychic powers,” Rebecca exclaimed in astonishment. “How come you never told us?”


“It wasn’t my place to say so,” Gregor said. “I told Sean, because I considered it his right to know, but beyond that I left it up to him if he wanted to share such information.”


Rebecca and the others looked at Sean as if seeing him for the first time as a guest sharing a meal with them. He could feel the inquisitive stares wanting to know more, but exercising some restraint by not giving voice to their thoughts. It hardly mattered though. Sean felt on the spot and obligated to say something, despite how uncomfortable it made him feel.


“I didn’t think it was that important,” he mildly answered, keeping his reply short. He was hoping not to get side tracked on a topic he didn’t want to delve into, and wishing for Gregor to continue about his parents.


“But isn’t that good news. That’s probably where you get your abilities from.” Rebecca sounded hopeful and encouraging. She really did wish the best for Sean and was optimistic about his desire to explore his past and possibly to recover some of his lost memories.


“Look, Rebecca,” Sean spoke gently, “I don’t want you to take offence, but I’m not thrilled with what I can do, and I don’t like talking about it.”


“Why not? This isn’t something you have to keep hidden from us. You may not think much of being able to tune into other people’s feelings, but I’m sure if you keep practicing with it, like anything else, you’ll eventually get better with it.”


“It’s not that simple for him,” Gregor intervened in Sean’s defense. “Once he allows his mind to be open and to sense the emotions of others it becomes very difficult for him to turn it off, so to speak. If too many people are present, or if he has this ability on for too long he can easily lose himself, and I assure you it can be very unnerving to lose ones self of identity.”


“You meant to tell me he still has that problem?” Rebecca said with her eyes going slightly wide, and directing the look at Gregor. “I thought that you were working with the boy, helping him to get better!”


“Trust me,” Gregor reassured, “we have worked on it extensively, but unfortunately for Sean there seems to be no middle ground. It’s as though the natural state of his mind is to always have this ability working, and it takes a concentrated effort on his part to return his mind to an unnatural state.”


Sean cleared his throat in annoyance, reminding the two of them that he was still there.


“I just don’t understand it. It sounds all wrong to me.” Rebecca shook her head, failing to understand why Sean’s control over his empathy had never improved the way she thought it should have.


“The mind is a very complicated mechanism filled with infinite variables that make each person unique. Suffice it to say that I have helped him in his development in as many ways as I can, but there are some things that only he can do for himself. He has found a way to cope with what he can do. Let’s leave it at that shall we?”


“What was my dad like?” Sean asked his question eager to redirect the conversation. He wanted to refresh his mind with what few details he had of his past in hopes to make his visit back to (town name) count for something.


“Your father was tall and lean, and had a neck that belonged on a bull.” Gregor continued while everyone ate and listened. “I’m sure at first glance many people found him intimidating, but for anyone that spent time to get to know him saw that he was a very kind and considerate gentleman. He had been a marine before he was hired on to work as muscle for the Veil. It didn’t take long for your mother and father to become romantically involved, and inside of a year they were married. They continued to work for the Veil another two years before they decided they had enough of that kind of life and wanted to devote their time to creating a family and settling down. They were lucky to have gotten out when they did, because it wasn’t long after that the Veil began to initiate a no leave policy. Presently once you’re in, you stay in, or else you just disappear.


“You were born six months after they were finally able to quit the organization. They struggled for a while financially before your father was finally able to land a decent job working for a computer manufacturing company. He did well there and rose through the company as a salesman by selling to large businesses.”


“You helped him get that job didn’t you?” Sean suspected it was the case, but Gregor had never clearly admitted to it. He didn’t ask in an accusing tone. The question came more from curiosity and intuition, and he wanted to see if he had guessed right.


“Naturally,” Gregor said, pleased with Sean for having figured out that he had something to do with it. “Your mother was part of my bloodline, and I have always looked after my own whether they knew it or not. I merely created the opportunity for your father, but it was his own hard work and dedication that made him do as well as he did.”


“What was I like?”


“I suppose you were as much a boy as any other child might have been. You did all the things little boys liked to do like play in the dirt, collect rocks and other miscellaneous treasures that could be stored in your pockets, and try to rescue every stray animal, domesticated or not, to keep it as a pet. You were adventurous and loved to explore the woods near where you grew up. You were very well cared for, although I could say your parents spoiled you too much with toys, but they never spared you from their affections.”


“What do you expect you’ll find when you return?” Daniel asked Sean.


Sean thought about the question for a moment before answering. “I’m not sure really. I suppose if there’s anything left of the old house I used to live in it’ll be in ruins. Unless it has been cleared away and someone else has built there.”


“It’s not likely that it ahs been touched,” Gregor offered. “People tend to keep there distance from sites in which a traumatic supernatural things have left their marks, almost as if they can sense the horrible things that have happened and instinctively keep their distance.”


Sean considered what his uncle just said and thoughts of the Beast and the Veil began to plague him again for the hundredth time today. Was it a sane choice to leave the manor, knowing the possible dangers that awaited him out there? He still couldn’t get over his surprise with his uncle actually being willing to let him go. Gregor fought him so hard and for so long to keep him here safe while trying to educate him and to teach him how to control himself, and now with no resistance, he was letting him drive off this very night. He had to wonder if his uncle was feeling a bit rejected.


An awkward lull in the conversation hung over the dinner table with the only sounds coming from the five of them clanking silverware against plates and eating. Everyone seemed to have retreated into their own thoughts. Carlos was kind enough to break the silence by telling a borderline inappropriate joke from an email he had gotten from one of his veteran friends. They all shared a good laugh and then conversation reopened onto more ordinary topics regarding how everyone’s day had been.


Soon everyone had had their full of dinner and Rebecca left the table only to surprise everyone by returning with dessert. She had made strawberry shortcake complete with whipped cream. Even Daniel was surprised that somehow his wife had kept it hidden throughout the day without him knowing about it. They all managed to find a little bit more room in their bellies to squeeze in the delicious dessert which Rebecca professed to having made everything from scratch. Even the strawberries had been picked from her own personal garden.


After the last spoon clinked on the rim of the dessert dishes Sean started to push his chair away from the table and reach for some of the dirty dishes to bring over to the sink. Carlos hurriedly wiped his mouth and told him not to worry about the dishes tonight. Normally it was one of his chores to clean up after dinner, but it seemed that Carlos was going to take care of it as a favor to him.


“Sean, would you come with me?” Gregor invited his nephew as they all backed their chairs from the table and stood up.


Sean nodded as he noticed the other three conveniently pick up items from the table and quickly busied themselves with clean-up. He should’ve known that his uncle would want to say or do something memorable with him on his last night here. Sean didn’t want to make a big deal about his leaving, just a few handshakes and hugs would’ve been quite alright with him, but it seemed he wouldn’t escape here without suffering something more.


Gregor led him out of the kitchen, through the foyer, and into the main livingroom. The majority of the room was recessed into the floor by two steps and sectioned off by a waist high banister. The upper part had a fireplace and a few comfortable one-seater chairs. The main floor had much more.


The ceiling extended twenty feet up and was dominated by a custom made extra large skylight. The left wall had a recessed bar fully stocked and complete with a bar counter and five stools that swiveled. Nearest the banister, and to where they descended into the room, was a well kept pool table that Sean could recall having broken a few of its predecessors in the past. The right wall had a sliding glass door that offered a more direct route to the indoor swimming pool. The doors were specially sealed so as not to allow an excessive amount of moisture to seep into the rest of the house. The rest of the floor contained a couple of luxurious recliners, a love seat, and a large sofa with corners that curved making it into a “U” shape. The sofa was positioned to face the back wall where there was a massive fireplace with an opening of at least five feet. Right above the fireplace was hung what was probably one of the largest flat screened T.V.’s that Sean had ever seen. It was at least six feet tall and ten feet wide and was connected to several hidden speakers around the room giving it a complete surround sound system.


Certainly the room would be impressive to most people, but since Sean had been living there for so long the grandeur had lost its affect on him. His attention was more drawn to a long narrow black canvassed case laying on the pool table. Its shape was unusual for a carrying case, and he could only imagine a few things that it would be designed to hold. He looked at his uncle and Gregor confirmed with a nod that it was a gift to his nephew.


“What’s inside?” he asked as he walked up to the pool table.


“You’ll have to open it to find out.” Gregor smiled softly, enjoying the curiosity of his nephew.


The case had four latches on and a handle on side as well as two clips on either end for a carrying strap to be attached if he so desired. Sean undid the latches and opened the case to reveal something that was wrapped up and folded in leather. The interior of the case was cushioned and lined with black velvet. He looked up at his uncle one more time with a questioning look and he only nodded back to him to continue opening his gift up the rest of the way. Sean respectfully folded the leather back to reveal an amazing sword of which he had never seen the likes of before. It was unsheathed lying next to a black scabbard, an unusual fact that he barely noticed.


The sword had his complete attention. It was made in the shape of a classic samurai longsword with a three foot long blade that was polished to the extent that he could clearly see his own reflection. He followed the length of the blade down to the decorative hilt. There were engravings with several wolves in varying positions of howling or running around three different moons located on different heights and sides of the handle. The entire handle looked as though it were made of silver and sparkled as if it had been sprinkled lightly with powdered crystal. Rising out of the hilt and going about three inches down the base of the blade were several entwining metal veins forming a lacing pattern that perfectly blended into the lower part of the blade.


He leaned close as he carefully examined the sword without touching it, and he noticed that along the metal lacing there were letters decoratively etched in it. He could read the names of five people on it, Gregor, Rebecca, Daniel, Carlos, and Anna. Seeing the last name made him look up at his uncle and wonder what she had to do with this gift.


Gregor was already anticipating the question and answered, “She provided the metal from which the blade is made from, (name of metal here). It’s virtually unknown of because of its rarity. It takes great strength and endurance to manipulate the metal and the forger has to be able to withstand extreme temperatures. A normal man would not be able to work the metal into anything, and even for myself it was no easy task.”


“What’s the handle made out of?” Sean asked, not quite ready to test it out himself. It looked like silver, but also sparkled here and there as though it was lightly coated in very fine glitter.


“The core of it is the same metal as the blade. Once it was formed I dipped the handle several times into platinum until the bulk of the hilt was made then I coated the last layer in a special blend of platinum and quarts crystal. Once that was completed I finally added the engravings of the wolves and the moons.”


Sean felt stupid for even thinking that his uncle would give him a gift containing silver. Without further hesitation he carefully lifted the sword up and out of the case and held it by the hilt testing to see how the weapon handled. To his surprise it was much lighter than he thought it would have been, and perfectly balanced. He gave it a couple of half practice swings and could feel the precision of the deadly weapon.


Suddenly the handle felt like it moved in his palm, and Sean almost let go of it. He quickly adjusted the way he was holding the sword so he could get a clear view of the hilt and figure out what just happened.


Gregor patiently watched on, giving no indication that he was surprised, and leaving Sean to suspect that whatever happened was suppose to have happened. He rotated the handle as he examined it closely and he realized where the three moons had been engraved now appeared to have collapsed inward. It was if they had been turned into perfect concaved dents. Metal shifting like that left him to assume that his uncle had also involved some bit of enchantment during the creation of the fine weapon. He shifted his head slightly and looked up at his uncle waiting for an explanation.


“Don’t be alarmed it’s merely the sword recognizing you as its proper wielder.”


Sean waited briefly for his uncle to expand upon his explanation, but when nothing further was offered he was forced to voice his question.


“What do you mean by recognize? Exactly what did you do to this thing?”


“I instilled it with some magical energy, but left a good portion of it unstable,”


“What?! Do you mean like if I’m not careful with this it could explode?” Sean asked with surprise.


Gregor explained as though it was something simple and safe. However when he used the words, “unstable”, little alarm bells went off in Sean’s mind and he envisioned magical energies gathered without a specific purpose. He understood enough of such things that when left alone they commonly found a way to release stored up energy, usually in some type of explosion.


“No, not at all,” Gregor said defensively. “Picture it like this; magic in its raw form is like energy, and spells, rituals, and enchantments are like instructions or guidelines that give that energy shape and purpose. What I did here was akin to enchanting this sword with only a partial guideline and keyed the item specifically to you. As time passes and the more you use the sword while practicing your sword chi the unformed energy within it will take shape into whatever it is that suits your purpose. It’s a very unusual method of enchanting, I admit, but it can create some very interesting effects, if not unique.”


Sean was quiet for a few seconds in thought as he tried to comprehend what his uncle was describing. He had never heard of a magical item being created in such a fashion. It was sometimes difficult to understand the brilliant and original concepts that his uncle came up with.


“So, what you’re saying is that the blade might develop some ability to turn into fire or to cut through steel like paper.”


“I’m not saying that it will do that, although I suppose such a thing is possible, but very unlikely in this case. The guidelines I had provided within the unfinished enchantment restrict the many possible forms the magic will finally take.”


Gregor paused dramatically, seemingly to consider what he would say next, but Sean knew better. Gregor enjoyed opportunities like these where he could show off something exceptional that he made, or to share a new theory of magical application. Sean understood that he was the only one of the household that could understand and accept such conversations, so he relaxed and indulged his uncle.


“If you can bare another analogy imagine the magical energy flowing like water. Once it’s harnessed or gathered it needs to go in a direction which is usually the path of least resistance. When a wizard or such is casting a spell they are in a sense lowering the resistance to certain pathways and blocking off others. This forces the energy to take the effect of the desired spell that they’re casting. In the making of this sword I placed a fixed amount of magical energy within it that will slowly get released through you and back into the blade. Your will and desire will act like a filter to give that energy its final purpose. It’s most likely to serve you in a more abstract way like aiding in the way you think and providing insight to difficult problems. Optimally I hope it will help you in overcoming the mental barriers between the human and werewolf side of you.”


“I understand what you’re saying, but why did the moons sink into the hilt when I picked up the sword?”


For an explanation, Gregor reached for the scabbard that was still lying inside the case. With reverent care he held it horizontally with two hands and brought it closer to Sean for him to examine. When Sean had first unwrapped the gift his attention had just grazed over the scabbard, but now he could see at the top there were three small black bumps spaced evenly around the gold rim. They were of perfect shape and size to match the recently made hollow moons on the hilt.


“When the sword begins to manifest an ability one of these stones will change color and must be placed into the hilt. It will only be removable by your hand and you should not wait long to do this, because by placing it into the sword is what will stabilize the enchantment. As you can see there are three opals, so I’m sure you can understand that the magic stored in that blade will have three evolutions before it is complete.”


“So that unstable aspect you mentioned before really does mean that if I’m not careful with this thing it will explode,” Sean suggested. He still felt concern and couldn’t shake the idea of walking around with a ticking time bomb at his hip.


“Only if you don’t place the changed opal into one of the slots within three days. If for whatever reason you don’t, then yes, it will explode. But the sword and scabbard are unlikely to be apart and they are only keyed to you, so without you the magic is stagnant and nothing can happen.”


“Unless an opal changes color and I walk away from it.”


Sean continued with the hazardous scenario, knowing that he was overdoing it. Granted, it was a legitimate concern, but he understood that he was being nitpicky and mischievous pointing out the little details of how the sword could be a potential hazard. It was obvious that this was a gift that his uncle had spent a great deal of thought and time putting together. There was an edge of annoyance on Gregor’s face and Sean couldn’t hide the humorous smile that crept across his face.


“There is that…” Gregor started to say, but then realized that his nephew was having a bit of fun at his expense making him explain all the nuances and admit the unstable flaw.


“You should know better than to criticize a vampire, especially since you’re in my home.” Gregor teased in good nature returning Sean’s smile. “I trust that you know enough to be responsible with the gift I’ve given you and that you will put it to good use.”


Sean continued to admire the gift as his uncle spoke. He swiped the blade through the air from left to right and back again before sheathing the blade. The balance and ease at which the weapon handled was surreal. He couldn’t come up with apt words to describe the sword. His appreciation was obvious.


“May it serve you well,” Gregor whispered.


Sean carefully laid the weapon back into its bed of leather and rewrapped it. He closed the case making sure that none of the material inside poked out, and clicked the latches closed.


“Thanks uncle Gregor,” Sean said as he faced his uncle. “This is a really thoughtful gift and I’m sure it will help me out.”


He extended his open hand to shake his uncles, and Gregor firmly clasped his nephew’s wrist. On a very human impulse, unhindered by their ancient hatred, they both leaned forward in a heartfelt hug. Sean didn’t know why everything was going so smoothly, but he wasn’t about to ruin the rare moment with more questions.


Sean stepped back separating from his uncle and turned to his gift on the pool table. He clipped the carrying strap onto both ends of the case with ease and used it to sling over his shoulder. Turning around to face his uncle he started to say something, but felt like words were inadequate, so he smiled and bowed his head.


It was amazing how he couldn’t feel his usual aggression toward his uncle. Sean didn’t understand what was done to make this moment happen, but he was extremely appreciative of being able to say his farewell in a normal fashion. It would be far better to remember him like this without the taint of hatred stirring around in his gut.


Quietly they left the living room together and headed into the large foyer. Daniel, Rebecca and Carlos were all standing there lined up so that each of them could have a chance to say their goodbyes and wish Sean good luck. Daniel was the first to step forward.


“Did you like the gift?” he asked while he clasped Sean’s hand and placed his other one fondly on his shoulder.


“Yes. Thank you.”


“We all contributed a little something to the making of it”, Daniel continued. “Rebecca and I made the scabbard, minus the placement of the opals of course. Anna supplied all the materials, and Carlos did the engravings on the hilt.”


“Wow!” Sean had no idea that each of them had contributed that much to crafting the remarkable gift. It gave him new found respect for what they were capable of. “Thank you! All of you. This means a lot to me.”


Daniel moved out of the way and was replaced by Carlos. He simply gave Sean a firm handshake and said, “Take care of yourself, man.”


Sean looked over at Rebecca to say goodbye and he saw that the tough old woman looked as though she were about to cry. Both of her eyes glistened trying to hold back tears she didn’t want anyone to see. He moved over to her and she gave him a grandmotherly hug.


She had to clear her throat first before she could speak. “Remember to at least call and let us know how you’re doing, ok?”


“I promise I will”, Sean replied. He allowed her to hang on to him a little longer so that she could hide the tear that unwillingly escaped her eye, and then quickly wiped the streak away before the others saw.


“Come, Sean,” Gregor said, “I’ll walk you out.”


Sean was relieved that his uncle came to the rescue and that the farewells weren’t going to be dragged out any longer. He loved them all, but he didn’t know what to say or do. The anticipation of finally leaving here was a distraction that he felt in his heart and he couldn’t wait to be free and on his own. He just wanted it to be quick and not complicated, and to not think anymore about what he was doing until he was well on his way.


Together the two of them each opened a side to the double doors and stepped out into the night. The doors closed of their own accord with a final click that sounded louder than all the other times Sean had heard it. Sean stepped off the side of dais and walked around the car to the driver’s side back seat where he carefully opened up the back door, and slid the sword carrying case on top of everything else he had packed away. Without knocking anything over he closed the door and turned to face his uncle for the last time.


For a short while they just stared at each other, neither one of them saying a word. Sean stared back enjoying the brief moment he was spending with his uncle without feeling that bloodlust. Sean could feel the weight of Gregor’s powerful eyes on him and he could just imagine that his uncle was rethinking his decision to let his nephew go. Those eyes were measuring him and calculating, and Sean wondered how he faired.


“I have one more very important thing that I want to give you,” he spoke, while continuing to evaluate him with those deep green eyes.


Without looking away from his nephew, Gregor reached under his collar and pulled out a leather thong from around his neck. Attached to it was a quartz crystal that seemed to radiate a very light blue. It was so faint that even after Sean concentrated on it he still couldn’t be certain that it was giving off its own light.


“This little thing,” Gregor started to explain, “is the reason why you’re not experiencing any of your usual hostility toward me. At the moment it hides my presence from you completely, but my intention is for you to use this to keep yourself hidden from that giant beast.”


For a moment Sean stared at his uncle feeling stunned as he absorbed what he had just said.


“Why haven’t you offered this to me before?” The words came out with a flood of mixed emotions. “How long have you had this? Did you keep this from me in order to keep me here?” He was starting to get mad at his uncle and for the first time in a long time being a vampire or werewolf had nothing to do with it.


“No, Sean! It’s nothing like that at all. This is entirely experimental, and I only just finished putting it together. This evening was something of a poor test run, but under the circumstances, in order to uphold my promise and not keep you from leaving tonight, this is the best I have to offer. If you’ll just allow me a moment I can set it up for you.”


Gregor pulled the pendant up and over his head removing the leather thong from around his neck. Then he pressed and twisted parts of the metal cap that held the crystal to the leather. Next there was a small cracking noise like glass breaking and the top of the crystal came off clean and smooth like it was meant to. He held his hand out and tapped the upturned crystal treating it like a container. A white piece of hair bounced its way out, and after it was completely removed from the crystal it turned red as though it were exposed to extreme heat and disappeared.


“That was a hair that belonged to you”, Gregor spoke to his nephew. “Now I’m going to place inside of it this piece of hair that I’m certain belongs to the beast that hunts you. As long as you keep this on you at all times it should help disguise your presence.”


“I just don’t understand. Why all of a sudden do you have this now, and not before?” Sean knew that Gregor was trying his best to protect him with the understanding that he would not be around personally. As his uncle handed him the pendant he asked himself how much better it would have been if he had given him this item before today.


“What I’ve given you is no small accomplishment.” Gregor wanted Sean to understand the value of the pendent he had just given him. “I spent the last few years analyzing the wards surrounding the manor, and formulating a way to condense them into a portable form. You have to understand that small items aren’t well suited for holding powerful wards. I had to carefully reconstruct and simplify the basics so that essential elements of magic could be contained within this tiny crystal vial. I even had to reinvent some long standing theories of how magic functions, to make what you have in your possession work. What I did may not be enough to completely mask you, but I gave it my best effort. I can only hope that it affords you some protection.”


“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful.”


“It’s all right,” Gregor reassured him. “Just keep it on you, and be safe.”


Sean placed the pendant around his neck and as he did so he noticed it no longer had that glow he imagined he saw before. Now it looked as though it were dimmer somehow. He didn’t know exactly how to explain it but it seemed… darker.


The old familiar feeling of hatred was starting to bubble up from Sean’s middle, and he frowned wishing it could go away forever. He contradicted his instincts and made himself give his uncle one last hug farewell. Before letting go he choked off a thank you and then hopped into the driver’s seat and drove off. As he drove down the long driveway he watched his uncle in the rearview mirror get smaller until he couldn’t see him anymore. Most people would say that the evening was the end of the day, but after living with a vampire for so long it felt more like the beginning.