Page 18 of The Clash of the Damned
If you look up the definition of belonging, whether it’s somewhere or to someone, it means to have an affinity for a place or situation. So why does it feel like I haven’t belonged anywhere since Mom died? I would give up all my magic immediately if it meant I could speak to her again, to ask if this is what she wants for our people and her legacy. The longer she’s been dead, the harder it is to remember her face. But I remember her being good. What would she say now if she saw what I’ve become? What we’ve become without her?
While we’re all related to Edmund Frankenstein in some way, it’s through Mom’s family that I should inherit our empire, and everyday I’mconfronted with the cost of her sacrifice. Rogue’s found us, and she bought enough time to get us all out and save her people, save me. Being Helene Lavenza’s heir, I should have taken over leadership, but I was too young. My father took over, and now I can see how his emotional blackmail was evident then, but I haven’t fought him. It’s easier for everyone to let him keep it for now.
I shake off the lingering memory to find Eden crouching in front of my face, waving her hand in front of me, and drawing far more attention to us than I would like. “Hello? Anyone there?” she enunciates slowly, like I’ve suddenly gone deaf.
Putting on my friendliest smile, I motion to the seat next to me on the park bench. “Have a seat,” I instruct. I need her to stop drawing attention to us, and after a moment’s hesitation, Eden comes to that realization too and sits.
She looks ridiculous in her get up with her oversized sunglasses and floppy hat. It’s out of place in a family-friendly park and looks silly on her small frame, like she’s drowning in the outfit. I’m much more at home with my jeans and sneakers. I could be a young mom or an au pair waiting for her charge. No one would question my being here. “Next time, maybe research the area we’re meeting before to make sure you don’t stand out so much?” I offer in my politest tone. She peers at me over her sunglasses, and I see red creeping through her cheeks. I quickly work to cover the moment before I have to deal with another of her tantrums. I’m not in a mood.
Spending my life being hunted, I’ve learned unpredictable life choices can increase the odds of staying alive, my primary goal. While a public park is not my first choice for a meeting like ours, no one would ever expect it. Another thing I’ve learned? Dad doesn’t know everything, and despitehis instruction, I’ve been siphoning magic from Dom, small amounts for emergencies. I doubt Dom has ever noticed his missing magic. He’s always had the resources and safety he needs to survive, so his missing magic wouldn’t mean his death.
While Siphoners and Sorcerers have the ability to conjure magic in common, that’s where the similarity ends. For us, we don’t have pretty spells or elements. If something needs to be done, we will it with magic. Through action and belief, that’s the Siphoner way.
As I sit on the park bench with Eden, I let my hands glow around my replacement locket as I cast the magic over us. If someone looks at us while here, they will immediately be distracted by something else and go another way, forgetting they ever saw us. If I had listened to my father, I would never be able to prevent issues like this before they happened.
“I’m getting really sick of all of these clandestine meetings, Sloane!” Eden whines, like she’s the one in control here. Taking a deep, calming breath, I remind myself I’m not done with her yet. I can’t kill her, no matter how tempting that may be.
Trying my best to be soothing, I remind her, “You’ve done well for your part of the plan. The warehouse went better than I had hoped. Between the bodies and the press, you’ve exceeded my expectations. My position within the families is still intact, perfect to keep feeding you information while we move to the next phase of our plan.”
“Which is…what exactly?” I swear if Eden could stamp her foot at this moment, she would.
“Expanding your church presence. I know this started because of your father, but you’re bigger than him and his legacy. The opportunity is there,and none of the families can leave their houses without being harassed. The time to strike is now, and by increasing your following we will do that.”
Of course I wasn’t going to tell Eden I needed the warehouse to perfect my control over people. I needed an undisturbed place with subjects to practice on, and this experiment exceeded my wildest dreams. I’ve never been allowed to perform magic on this scale and test my limits, and so far, I haven’t found any–the benefits of my heritage. The camera I left behind filmed the results. Those siblings found my test subjects, and the following battle told me enough. Until they blew up the place, I had a hold on my magic.
Wiping my hands on my jeans, I stand, ready to leave. This conversation is over. Getting a list out of my jacket, I hand it to her, the next list of her victims to choose from–names she needs on her religious vendetta. Perfectly chosen, so no one knows what the cult will do next, except us.
“Where are you going? We’re not done yet?” Eden whines, and again, I briefly consider the satisfaction killing her would bring.
But when I stood, the magic over us ended, and I don’t want to cause a scene and sit back down. Gritting my teeth, I tell her, “Dom is expecting me back at the house soon, and I still need to make an appearance at the human front for his business. I’m running out of time. It’s our first Thanksgiving together. Since I don’t want to give him any reason to be suspicious of me, I need to get going. Unless there is something else?”
Eden tosses her hair, forgetting about her sunhat, which topples off her head. The whole action is ridiculous and would be comical in any other setting. Picking it up and placing it back on her head, she tries her best to regain her composure. “We had to execute one of theguys that helped on the last hunt. One of those monsters bit him, and we didn’t want the disease to spread.”
“You forget that Supernaturals are born. They aren’t created throughcontamination. Even if the Undead bit you, the worst thing you would deal with is blood loss. You could never become one. You just murdered one of your own because of your ignorance.”
While I may not have slapped Eden, she acts as if my words did the equivalent as she looks off at the families in the park in front of us. “Do you think they would be happier knowing the truth about the world out there?” She points towards the families as they laugh and play in the dying sunlight, weather rarely warm for this time of year. It’s an oddly refreshing question from her, one I appreciate.
“No, I don’t actually. Humans are happier pretending we don’t exist. But this is your vendetta, I’m not here to play therapist. I just promised to help.” Checking my watch again, I see time is slipping away, and I need to get things moving. My patience has finally reached its limit. Waving my glowing hand, I take control of her puny human mind and prompt her. “Focus on expanding your church presence and stick to the plan. I will contact you again for the next meeting.” She nods, agreeing with my suggestion.
I loosen the slack on her magical leash, ready to leave when the real Eden peeks through for a moment. “You never told me why we need to use the one heir for our work, and why you’re actually helping me. What’s in it for you? And shouldn’t we start going after the Human Faction? We should really see if we can still save their souls after all that taint.”
Sighing at the thought of saving someone’s soul, I know Eden has forgotten again that I’m not human. “The heir you’re referring to is fragile.It’s almost too easy to use them, and I don’t want to waste the opportunity to keep everyone unsure of who the real enemy is while they fight with each other. I learned of the Human Faction from Dom, but now is not the time to strike at them. Save our soldiers for the real battle ahead. There is a strategy we must stick to if we want to come out victorious. Besides, the Human Faction is still in hiding and no threat to our plan.”
“Oh.” Eden’s righteous anger deflates a notch. Despite her religious bigotry, there is someone who can be reasoned with under it. “That makes sense,” she tells me. I don’t trust this girl; I never will. We have a business arrangement, and when it no longer suits her, she’ll come for me, like she’s done to the other Supernaturals. But maybe I need to give her something else, and maybe, while under my control, she can handle it. Dragging a bit more energy into my magic reserves from my new locket, I increase the strength of my hold on her.
“Have you ever heard of the legend of Frankenstein?” She thinks it over for a second and nods. “Welcome to my family.” I pause, looking at the children playing in front of me, so similar to the memory I just had.
“After we finally left Europe and came to the U.S., we saw how the other families prospered while we struggled. It seemed like they had forgotten about us, so we wanted to do the same, far away from them. We tried to build our own empire in the South, but each time we started succeeding, we were hit by another devastating hurricane. And each time, we would lose everything, until we had nothing left. Then Hecate heard about our survival, and if not her, someone from one of the empires tried to murder my family and cover up the lies.”
Reaching my limit with how much of Eden I can cope with today, I wipe her memory of my family. My penchant for experiments can wait for another day. Now, my only priority is to maintain my cover with Dom and his friends.
Chapter 14 | Money Makes The World Go Round
Sloane
Once a year, families across the United States come together to celebrate. They give thanks to their forefathers arriving in this country and creating the lives we now know. We do this over a shared meal as we name a list of things we’re thankful for and write this off as tradition, all to do it again next year. When Mom was still alive, things were different. Every holiday was an experience when she was involved, and Thanksgiving thrown by her was my favorite time of year. She would always make it so special and had a kind word for everyone. But after she died, that went away with her.
That’s why this time with Dom and his sisters has been so special to me, it’s a reminder of what I once had. Sure, a lie brought us together, but the love I see the siblings display for each other can’t be faked, especially with how they welcomed me into their home. If things were different, I would love to see where this life with them takes me. But wondering what could have been won’t change what is. Even my magic can’t fix this. My people’ssurvival comes first, and if there is anything left afterwards, I can sort out my heart then. So I shut my eyes and find my inner strength to continue pushing through this. It needs to be done.
