Of Light and Darkness: The Vampire's Daughter

“Exactly!” Evangeline started to yell then. “He is your father! ”

Charlotte’s jaw dropped, her eyes pricking with the horribly embarrassing feeling she was about to cry. She hadn’t expected those words to come from Evangeline’s mouth. Father. Salty tears stung her eyes, but she forced them back.

“He doesn’t feel that way about you, Evangeline. He told me he never would.” Charlotte sought her revenge quietly this time. “Valek is too good for you.” She took a few slow steps closer. “And let me fill you in on something else. Valek was like my father until you came along and ruined everything! Because of you, things are never going to be the same between us again!” Hot tears streamed down her face; she couldn’t help it. The honesty of it all stung worse when articulated, like the tormenting thoughts had suddenly become tangible. “So here….” Charlotte reached into the pockets of her jeans and tossed a few silvery coins at Evangeline's high-heeled toes. “The payment Valek owes his harlot from last night. In full.” With that, Charlotte turned once more and sped away from the lingering crowd, and the Witch.

But Evangeline was relentless. “Charlotte?'

Charlotte rolled her eyes. Apparently, there was no way she was going to win this without creating even more of a scene. She turned once more to look at Evangeline and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I really had no idea. You have got to believe that I’m really sorry.” Evangeline’s gaze shimmered with a hint of moisture.

Charlotte tightened her jaw, but said nothing.

“Please?”

Silence.

“You’re right, Charlotte. I wasn’t aware of the situation. I didn’t realize how close you two are.”

Charlotte relaxed. She didn’t want to fight anymore. “You mean how close we were. What did you think, Evangeline? He raised me. How separate could Valek and I possibly be? It has always been just the two of us. What makes you think I’d ever want that to change?” Charlotte looked up at the tall, gorgeous woman with magical traits that made her closer to Valek then her own humanity could, and her heart sank. “And your apology really isn't going to undo any of this damage now.”

“You’re right. I didn’t think.” Evangeline looked at the ground. The two of them started walking again in silence, together this time.

“It’s fine. You’re forgiven. You can go back now,” Charlotte finally said once they reached the edge of the town square.

“I want to come with you,” Evangeline persisted. “I don’t like you leaving the Occult borders alone. Valek wouldn’t like it either. It’s very dangerous”

“But you aren’t allowed to leave. Trust me, it’s more dangerous if you come with me.” The memory of Charlotte's leg wound from the other day prodded at her consciousness. No matter how she despised Evangeline, Charlotte would feel too guilty if anything happened to her when they crossed the borders.

“Let me right my wrongs,” she begged. “I can protect you. I can get you to Prague in two seconds! It will be easy.”

Charlotte could see she was not about to give up and decided the less the two of them spoke, the better. They walked together through the rows of houses, through the dark canopy of trees, the fake cemetery, and the black iron gate. The large crescent moon hung low in the sky and made the long, dirt road ahead of them look like a silver serpent in a river of grass. Sounds of the night surrounded them. An owl, a distance down the tunnel, hoo-ed from its hiding place in the canopy. A calm breeze made a soft ruffle in the wheat fields. Charlotte imagined that even the stars seemed to have their own distinctive twinkling sound.

“So where are you planning on going?” Evangeline asked. “I can get you anywhere.”

“I don’t know.” Charlotte sighed. “Normally I just walk until I happen upon a night traveler or a small town.”

“And then what?”

“I pretend I'm lost. I ask if they can help me find my way. Sometimes my conversation distracts them, sometimes…it doesn’t.” Charlotte’s tone dropped several decibels. “But normally by that time, they are already through the gate, and Valek is fast when I call for him. By the time I’m home, they’re already dead, and he’s smoking his pipe in the library.” Charlotte didn’t elaborate on the details; how sometimes when they didn’t come as quietly as she hoped, she resorted to knocking them out. She couldn’t kill them. Valek couldn’t drink from a dead heart. Charlotte puffed out her chest a little. The seduction, the killing — that did make her closer to Valek than Evangeline.

“But aren’t you frightened?” Evangeline's eyes grew wide.

“Yes. And it’s dangerous, of course. But I have this.” Charlotte held out the small, silvery whistle, inscribed with a scrawling cursive C on one side and the face of the moon on the other. It glistened in the dim starlight. “Valek always comes when he hears this.”

A little ways down where the crop fields started, Charlotte noticed something stirring between the stalks caught Evangeline’s attention. The Witch grabbed Charlotte’s shoulder, wrinkling her nose.

“Wait,” she whispered. “There’s one.” She indicated with a long, manicured talon.

Charlotte squinted, sifting through the shadows, but it was too dark for her to see.

“Let me handle this.” Evangeline grinned.

“You really don’t have to do that—”

“I want to. Trust me.”

Charlotte watched as Evangeline sauntered up the grassy bank, leaving her standing, arms folded, in the middle of the dirt road.

The man creeping through the tall crops, undoubtedly up to some sort of bad behavior, stopped moving and analyzed the length of the sorceress in front of him. Charlotte felt her stomach turn. Hunting would be so much easier if I looked like Evangeline.

“Good evening.” He smiled wryly, undressing her with his human eyes.

“Hello.” She smiled back. “You're out a little late, aren’t you?”

The man, clearly having escaped from somewhere, rubbed at his torn, right sleeve. “Yes. And yourself as well.”

“My friend and I are traveling this road alone, and I think we’re extremely lost.” She giggled. A light flashed in her eyes and suddenly the mortal seemed to instantly turn to butter in Evangeline’s hand.

He chuckled back. “Where are you headed?” he asked, the smile not leaving his handsome, spellbound face. “Perhaps I can help.”

“South,” she said, and gave no further information. She glanced back once at Charlotte.

“Well, I suppose I could accompany you until we reach the next town.”

He offered his arm. She accepted. The moment her flesh touched his, all human qualities in his face fizzled, flickering out in his eyes like an extinguished candle flame.

Charlotte’s head cocked to one side upon seeing Evangeline's effects. Amazing. She probably had those powers against all men. Charlotte sighed. Maybe Valek really didn’t have an advantage against Evangeline last night.

Evangeline and the man started walking back down the grassy bank to the dirt road.

She was watching the two walk and laugh together, though the man’s laugh was hollow and enchanted, when she heard a low rumble crawl up her spine and into her ears. Charlotte dropped her arms to her sides.

Evangeline and the man froze also, looking past her to what was standing just behind.

“Charlotte….” Evangeline squeaked.

Charlotte slowly twisted her head around to see a half-phased Lycan standing there, lower parts like a man and fangs dripping; its slanted eyes fixated on her horrified face. She recognized the scar on the left eye and slight indentation in its head from when they had first met in the tree tunnel. It was guarding the Occult border; Charlotte suddenly found herself in heaps of trouble.

She gingerly slid her hand up to her chest for her whistle when the wolf struck her with its massive claw, sending the glimmering object hurtling out of her hand. Its claws left deep gashes in her arm as she tumbled face first to the ground.

Charlotte coughed up a thick clod of dirt and rolled onto her back, trying to fill her lungs with air instead. The animal loomed over her, a low grumble bristling the fur around its neck, its nose almost grazing hers. A