The Revelation

Though Florian and Anika begged her not to, Wren headed to her house in order to pick up a few things. They didn’t understand how important it was to make sure her plants were watered. Both were kind enough to offer Wren every comfort money could buy, but some comforts can’t be bought with money. A person’s own things sometimes help during times of grief. She also needed her medicine, and her body was already grumbling at her for not taking care.

She had been without medicine for a few days. Her body was wracking her with stomach pain, and she was having difficulty eating without feeling ill after. Going home wasn’t a danger. So she thought.

As she walked inside, her shoe scraped across the old beige tile, making a mark in the settled dust. The plants needed help. She could smell them wilting. It was a sweet green scent with a touch of rot - a warning sign a plant was on the verge of giving up. They perked up when she came in, as if they knew their precious water was moments away.

An old metal watering can sat next to the sink. A friend of Wren’s found it at a junk sale years ago and gave it to her. The water rushing into the can reminded her of putting a shell to her ear and listening to the ocean. She wished she was at the beach, throwing things for Brutus to chase and enjoying a time of solace. Instead, she was preparing to leave her plants again, and hide at Florian’s for who knows how long.

Brutus sniffed the air behind them, looking around like he had lost a bone. “Someone is here!”

“What?” Wren frowned.

“They’re…” He interrupted himself with a warning bark, backing his body into Wren’s legs.

Jacob stood in the doorway with both of his dogs at his side. The three canines stared at each other for a moment, sizing up whether two mastiffs could win a fight against a Shepherd. If it came down to it, Brutus was willing to go in with teeth bared and claws slashing. Though, Nero and Cesar both seemed rather happy to see Wren. Unlike their master, they wagged their tails at the woman and waited for permission to greet her.

“Agent.” Jacob said.

“Am I?” Wren stood with the watering can in front of her, a blockade between she and Jacob.

“That depends on you, Wren.”

“Depends on what?” She asked.

“How quickly you’ll come with me.”

Wren shook her head. “That won’t happen.”

He smirked. “One way or another, it’s going to happen. Cesar. Nero.”

With a single motion of his fingers, Jacob sent both dogs moving toward Brutus. He curled his toes until he was nearly on the pads of his paws, and his hackles raised in the air. All three dogs circled each other, baring sharp white teeth as they danced around the floor and waited for one to make a move.

“Boys, don’t. Don’t listen! Brutus. Talk to them. Don’t fight.” Wren said.

“You can’t talk to them, Wren.” Jacob laughed. “They’re my dogs. Only mine.”

Both dogs looked up at Wren with eyes full of sadness. They were dull and glazed over, like some sort of drug had barred them from their natural ability to speak with a Druid. Deep inside, Cesar and Nero begged Wren to let them free. She dropped to one knee, stretching out a hand for both dogs. Brutus placed himself between Wren and Nero, growling a warning that the dog should come no closer. But the Druid stretched her fingers out toward him, brushing his sagging jowls.

“Please talk to me.” She whispered. “You’re in there.”

Nero blew out a puff of air with an amusing flop of the loose skin. He sat on his haunches, contemplating the hand stroking his fur. His dark eyes darted from Jacob to Wren, as if he were trying to decide. Finally, the dog nuzzled his head into Wren’s hand with a low groan.

“Are you…?” It was a whisper. Barely a breath. But Wren heard it. Nero spoke to her, somehow breaking free of whatever bonds Jacob had him in.

“Yes!” She nearly shouted. “Yes! Keep going!”

“What?” Jacob’s eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. As quickly as Nero’s consciousness came to light, it dimmed and the dog once again bared his teeth at Wren. “That’s enough!”

Iron Oath Agents were like members of law enforcement. They could carry firearms, and most were paranoid enough to have them in their homes. Wren had a few stashed in her house. One was within reach, just in the kitchen cabinet at the end. She reached behind her, flipping the cabinet open with one hand and wrapping it around a heavy piece of metal.

The sights of the gun centered itself on Jacob’s forehead, and he had his own aimed at Wren.

“Don’t do it, Wren.” Jacob said. “The last thing I want to do is kill you. I will if you don’t come along with me back to the office.”

“One of us is going to shoot before this is over.” Wren said.

“You’re right about that, but it won’t be you.”

As Jacob spoke, two other Agents came in behind him. Wren recognized them both. One was a Senior Agent who was old enough to be her Father, with a stern expression and bushy gray eyebrows. The other a woman who had only been with the Iron Oath for about a year. She was already too tired to keep going, and early wrinkles crumpled at the corners of her eyes.

Both Agents had firearms trained on Wren. She looked at her odds. The back door was only a few feet behind her, but it was locked. Still, it was her best bet to get out. If she could somehow find time to unlock it and rush out with Brutus, they may get away. The rest? Wren hadn’t thought about yet.

“You can’t take all three of us.” Jacob said.

“I can take you.” Wren answered.

“I didn’t want you to begin with.” Jacob sighed. “I want what Oliver Faulkner entrusted to you.”

“What?” Wren lied.

Jacob’s fist tightened around the gun and he seemed to chew on the inside of his cheek. Wren watched him carefully, along with the other two Agents. They were in a standoff hoping to get the precious documents, but she wasn’t sure if they really knew who had them. If that was the case, they would want her alive.

“You know what I mean.” Jacob growled.

“No, I don’t.” She lied again.

The clack-clack of a gun cocking was like dynamite going off right next to Wren. Everything slowed down to where she felt as if she were moving through a pool full of gelatin. Her legs struggled to move in time and diving behind the kitchen counter was like sliding into a vat of glue. She sank down to the floor with one arm around Brutus, aiming the gun at no one in particular.

“Fight us or don’t, Wren!” Jacob crowed. “You’ll still be another accidental death on our records.”

“No I won’t!”

As Wren stood, the echo of a gunshot caused her ears to ring. She doubled over, waiting for the pain to rush through her body. There was nothing. No blood. No bullet. Did they miss?

One of the Agents had dropped to the floor, groaning as she held her leg. The kneecap had been blown out, and blood seeped into the torn fabric of her pants. The male Agent whirled in circles, looking for the person who shot his partner. Jacob waved his hands in the air, yelling obscenities and ordering two confused mastiffs to attack something or someone. Nero and Cesar ran in circles, not knowing what to do with so many orders.

It was her chance to move in the chaos. Wren grasped her gun, taking aim at the other Agent. A second shot gave her an instant headache, and the noise itself caused an earthquake in her head. The bullet whistled past Jacob’s head, hitting the Agent on the right side of his chest. He screamed on impact, hitting the tile with a sickly smack.

Finally, Wren’s petite blond savior emerged from behind the other two. Kerri’s arm raised in the air, connecting the handle of her firearm with Jacob’s skull. The crack afterward sounded like a firecracker, but it was Jacob shooting wildly in the air before the room quit spinning and the lights turned off. He tumbled to the ground with both dogs sniffing at his face and pawing at him to get up.

Kerri grasped Wren’s hand, pulling her away from the daze of two close-range gunshots. “Come on! Brutus!”

The dog rushed after both of them, leaping into Kerri’s car and barking for the women to hurry. Kerri slammed the door shut behind Wren, dove over her into the driver’s seat, and did a strange sort of somersault to sit herself upright. She didn’t bother looking behind her as the engine gunned and car threw itself into reverse.

By the time Wren could understand what had happened, her condo was long behind them and a stretch of darkened highway lay in front of them. “Kerri?”

“Are you OK?” She asked.

“I’m fine. How…?” Wren let her head rest on the dashboard, suddenly feeling the adrenaline rush wear off.

“Florian told me you went home. When no one went with you, I freaked. I told him I was going after you. So, they let me go.” Kerri said.

Wren rubbed her temples, trying to stave off the headache. “They knew you’d come here instead of run away.”

Kerri stared at the road with a long sigh. “Now, where do we go?”

“Back to Florian’s.” Wren said. “It’s safe there. I need to call someone. Hopefully, she’ll meet us there.”

Both Vampires sat on their couch staring at the TV screen. When the two ragged women walked in with Brutus in tow, they barely glanced at them. Their eyes turned back to the show, where a woman grasped a man by his jacket and rested her head on his shoulder. Her silky voice was dramatically lamenting something in a language Kerri couldn’t understand.

Anika sniffled, reaching for a tissue on the side table. Florian simply rolled his eyes with a sigh, patting her hand. Kerri looked at them all as if they lost their minds.

“What is going on?” She asked.

Wren shrugged. “I guess Anika really likes her novelas.”

“They’ll never be able to get back together.” Anika mourned. “Not with Ricardo and his Lawyer in the way.”

“I’m sure it will all turn out.” Florian reassured her.

“In case you didn’t know, we just shot two Iron Oath Agents and I might have killed Jacob Stuart.” Kerri huffed.

“Good.” Said Florian. “He deserves it.”

“Sit down. It’s almost over.” Anika waved her hand.

Wren and Kerri obeyed the order, staring at the show while Anika leaned forward in anticipation. In the end, the couple had to say a tearful goodbye while the woman turned around and reached her hands out for the tall, dark and handsome lover. The moment he took hold of her, an equally handsome man appeared in the doorway. A camera close up and fanfare of doom played. He screamed out a name and the credits rolled.

“Every time!” Florian threw his hands in the air. “I hate these shows. You have to wait an entire week to see what happens!”

“That’s the point.” Wren said.

“This one is so full of suspense!” Anika leaned over the arm of the couch, grinning as she began to tell the soap opera story. “Ricardo just came in and now he’s going to…”

“Hello?” Kerri screeched. “Iron Oath? Our lives? Is this show better than sex or something?”

“Not remotely.” Florian shook his head. “We did expect this to happen.”

“I have the other guest room made up for you, Kerri. I think you’ll like it.” Anika smiled.

Kerri looked like she was about to attack the two of them. “You knew? You knew and you let Wren go? You let me go?”

“Wren can take care of herself.” Said Anika. “Not to mention someone else is keeping a close eye on her.”

“Who?” Wren asked.

Anika laughed. “As if you did not see Oliver lurking in every shadow you create. You have a bodyguard.”

“A serial killer bodyguard. Wonderful.” Wren sighed.

Florian made a noise in his throat, not enjoying Anika even mentioning Oliver’s name. He ignored Wren’s flushed cheeks and rising pulse, choosing to focus on the problem at hand. “Ladies. All of this was expected. The Iron Oath knows what Oliver has done, and they want to know exactly who has the documents. We are all in for a fight soon.”

“I’m glad I called Sandy to come over here.” Wren said.

Anika nodded. “It’s good you did. We will need the help of the Druids. And the Werewolves.”

“Once the funeral is over.” Florian nodded.

Wren closed her eyes, wishing that funeral would never come. “Then what?”

“We expose them, and we wait. The next move will be the Iron Oath’s.” Florian said. “If you aren’t going to be with us, then go back to your homes now and face whatever fate they have in store for you.”

“How can you say I’m not with you?” Wren frowned.

“I directed that to the only human in the room.”

For the first time Wren could remember, she did not correct someone who referred to her as not human. Normally, she would tell them she is a human as well. The way Florian said it was different. For once, a human was referred to as the outsider. The person who did not belong in the society of The Others.

I’m not a human. Wren thought. I’m a person and a Druid.

“Are you with us, dear?” Anika asked.

“I’m staying with you.” Kerri said. “I didn’t sign up to watch innocent people die. That’s not what I thought we - they were.”

“We’re glad to have you.” Anika smiled. “I suppose I should send someone to the grocery store. You both eat, after all. And we’ll need dog food.”

Florian groaned when Anika chattered on about her plans. She grabbed Brutus by the ears, giving him an affectionate scratch behind both of them. The woman waltzed through the room as if she were dancing to some unheard beat, happy to have guests to entertain and take care of. If anyone could make light of a situation, a Vampire who enjoyed spoiling company certainly could.