Chapter Four:A Little Family History

01/18/2010

“You love that boy” that played over in my head and you would have thought it was my death sentence. Everything about that statement was true. I think I fell in love with Hiro from the day I meet him. Not only his looks but his odd sense of humor and his knowing the right words to say and his annoyingly good at sports and thinking he could beat me in a video game. The way he wrinkles his nose at my third grade jokes. How his eyes glow when he laughs which so contagious that sometimes you laugh with him and you don’t know what he’s laughing at. He seemed to have this different smile when he sees me. I don’t see it with anyone else not even Lyra. I looked at the amulet that I’ve been holding tightly in my hand. He never took it off not even once ok maybe to go swimming or maybe to shower but it was always not far or on him. This is really important to him and he gave it to me. I wonder if it’s a family heirloom or something. I remember once Lyra asking him about it and Hiro never gave her a straight answer. I didn’t know how long I was quite but I looked over at Noll who was busy watching the road.

“I guess you could say that.” Noll looked at me and then back at the road he had this amused look on his face.

“Just admit it you L-O-V-E himmm” I rolled my eyes at him and his poor teasing.

“I’d never admit it until he admits it first.” I squeezed the amulet tighter in my hand.

“You girls are helpless.”

I turned my head sharply at him “Helpless!!!”

He laughed it was one of those soft bursts kind and he smiled that lit up his face. “For as long as I lived you women never changed. Ya’ll helpless.”

I thought about that statement, “How old are you? Really?”

I then suddenly saw him stiffen and look uncomfortable. I then laughed “Okay I guess we’ll stick with Thirty-Two” I watched Noll’s jaw clench and unclench and his eyes narrow. I smiled “You should just tell me how old you are.”

“Not a chance.”

“Well I’ll make another guess then.” I smiled evilly at him “I guess you might be like Roman times or maybe even alive with Aristotle was alive”

“I’m not THAT old!” He eyes budged out. I just laughed amused.

“In time when where it’s safe I’ll tell you what you need to know and what’s going on and if you’re good I might even tell you how old I really am.” After that he turned on the radio to one of those stations that play everything under the sun. He even turned it up so that we couldn’t talk. I snickered on the fact that I made him nervous. Hey that’s what he gets for starting it.

I looked out of the window and noticed the very lit and empty school I knew you were only looking at half of the school because it’s a big campus East Emerson High School it’s the one that Hiro and Lyra go to. When Noll turned left after the school I knew were going to say at the Inn that has HBO and free WIFI. The Inn is nice I hear that some schools have their senior prom there. When we turned in I saw in the billboard that it was stand up night, tomorrow mystery dinner. I smiled sadly remembering when four of us going to a mystery dinner on our vocation visiting Sade in California. I remembered I turned out to be the killer. It was a lot of fun.

The room we had was huge two different rooms and like a mock living room and a kitchen with a stove! Yes a stove! Large flat screen and medium size ones in the rooms. I was spinning, “Noll are you rich?” Thus making him smile and shake his head I knew he wasn’t going to tell me anything. My room was on the right which had the over sized bathroom with overly large bathtub / shower. My body inched for that bath. I opened my small bag and she packed night cloths, jeans, a t-shirt , tooth brush , hair brush, those tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner things you need over night. At the bottom of my bag was a piece of paper and written in teacher handwriting, stay strong- Gwen. I sighed putting tomorrow’s cloths on top. I then headed to the bathroom maybe a nice bath would clam my body but I can’t say for my heart.

After saying good night to Noll I laid in bed I had a hard time sleeping what was gnawing at me was how my parent’s bodies were every time I closed my eyes I saw the haunting images. I sighed and turned on my side and I looked at the night stand with Hiro’s necklace I sat up and claps it around my neck. I put it under my shirt as if to keep it safe. It felt warm against my skin. I remember thinking how odd that was but I soon fell asleep. It’s strange something as little as a necklace to help one sleep.

*****

It was twelve o’clock and I had eight o’clock Inn breakfast and we’ve been on the road since ten. I remember it took Noll since six am to wake me up. He wanted to head out really early but I guess he didn’t get that early. I still felt tired but I wasn’t able to fall back asleep in the moving car. Hell are you supposed to be able to fall asleep in a moving car? Well my body wouldn’t let me. Were three hours from my home town and I thought about Sade and he being 5 ½ hours away and 2313 miles away. I could feel the creases of worry on my forehead and I took a deep sigh. My eyes were closed and that’s when I felt the car pick up faster and my eyes popped open and I looked at the side view mirror and saw one of those really old black lacquer 1936 but it had modern updates on the car and I’m sure insides as well. The windows were tined I assume illegal because it was supper dark even the windshield window was totally black tinted. It looked slick and really awesome but scary at the same time because that car was coming after us after me!

“Is that?” My hands gripped on the seat.

“Cloven and his chauffer plus goons.” Noll said and he said it oddly too like they did in the past no one talks like that anymore. There was hints of it in his voice and even older hints in his voice as well. Things were defiantly heating up the next thing I would expect guns like one of those old gagster movies. “Were gonna havta take a detour.” And he said it like the de was separate from the tour part. I raised eye brows at him. This wasn’t the time to be amused about how Noll suddenly started talking different.

“Noll, do they have guns?”

“I hope not.”

Noll made a sharp turn around a corner and my stomach leaned in to the turn waking my adrenalin and sending off more warning bells to my brain. The black car didn’t have any trouble following us defiantly updated inside. I felt sweat on my neck when I really thought who was in that car the person who had my parents killed who tried to get my brother and now is capturing me and what for? Why does he want me? How did he find us anyway I should have woken when Noll wanted to leave. How long have they been following us? And did they appear out of nowhere? I looked at the side view mirror once again and I watched the passenger side window being rolled down. I quickly glanced over and Noll was pushing 300ml and going faster. I saw this women she had a bad hair dyed hair which would give any women be in a bad mood. I wanted to laugh yes at that critical moment. She took out this weird looking gun.

“WHAT IS THAT!?” My voice high pitched than I wanted.

“You don’t want to know” was Noll’s response that I don’t want to know and Noll pressed on the gas all the way my heart pounding and my ears my breaths short.

As I see her and she pulls the trigger and it sounded like a bomb went off but I’m sure it wasn’t that loud. Probably more like a loud deafening crack. Whatever it was missed us. Noll took another sharp turn this time left and there was another sharper left turn and then he went straight little and then made another right into a neighborhood. That’s when he started to slow down little and making random turns. My ears were still ringing from my pounding heart and I’m being temporary deaf and Noll was talking fast on his Cell. The black car still tailing us but distant and we took another turn temporally out of sight of them. We were at a four way yea a little strange that there’s one in a neighborhood but I guess it was a huge one. When Noll hung up he made the left and he wasn’t 100’s anymore but he was going 50 and I’m sure it’s 25 or 15 ml zone. Making another turn that was when I saw a few cars like ours and a different car but not as elaborate and that classic that’s chasing us.

“Alright were switching cars.” Noll said and I quickly grabbed the bag. I followed Noll over to the other car that was different from the alike ones. My hearing slowly coming back but my heart still pounding we switched cars with Kobe and Gwen the ones I noticed at the hose and the one who left that note in the overnight bag. Gwen gave me a small smile and I got a nod hello from Kobe. Something tells me they are good friends with Noll or his most trusted workers or something. I didn’t pay much attention to the other people in the other cars. I didn’t have time to. I didn’t even latch my seat belt and we were off in different directions too just in time too.

Noll and I didn’t sigh in relief until we were back on the road we once were. We dove little while in silence and I felt the sting in my eyes and I quickly closed them. “That was close, really close.” I looked over at Noll I wished I could see those ocean greens. I looked out of the window looking at the gold’s, reds, and the mix in-between. I pushed the down button of for the window to roll down with a soft hum. Smelled the fall air it claimed me and it seemed to do the same for Noll… I think. “I’m hungry.”

“You’re hungry?”

“Yes, after that excitement got me hungry”

“I know a small restaurant they are good friends of mine” I thought he wanted to say more but he didn’t I stared at his profile “But you have to wait for another two hours.”

I groaned. “I guess I can wait.” I turned on the radio finding that station Noll had it on before but it wasn’t coming in so I found one that was decent.

I must have fallen asleep because Noll was shaking me saying were here I can smell the delicious food once I opened the door. It wasn’t until we got inside I saw that it was a modern Japanese restaurant but it was small and cozy and it was right out of one of those Japanese drama’s or movies. It was very evident that they were his friends because once they saw him they had this odd greeting that I cannot explain and I think Noll almost forgot I was there. Until he introduced me.

“This is Sonja” Noll said as he gently touched my upper arm. “Sonja these are some of my closest friends. Lou, Kim, and James and Kim’s wife Lillian”

“I smiled and nodded and said “hello” when they said Hello back and nice to meet you’s they didn’t have an accent at all. I blushed when my stomach betrayed me.

“We’ll get you a table right away.” Said Lillian smiling and holding a laugh.

“I’ll be with you in a minuet I need to talk to these guys for a second.”

“Alright” I said following Lillian. She was beautiful with her long flowing back hair and brown eyes she kind of looked the Female virgin of Hiro. Thus, making me laugh seeing Hiro in drag Lillian looked at me curiously. “You look exactly like my friend but only he’s a boy.”

“Who’s your friend?” she asked as she stopped at our table which was in the back at the far corner very privet and excluded from the rest. I then slid into the booth and looked at her I didn’t any feelings to ‘not to tell’ something I would sometimes get when meeting people. “Hiro Kotaro” and when I said her name there was that familiarility look in her eyes and it quickly went away. Geez what’s with everyone having a look on their face and it diapering like nothing happened? I smiled “You know him?” and I watched her closely.

“No.” and then she put two menus down on the table “Noll will be with you soon. Don’t worry your safe here.” She gave me a sincere look and then she was gone. What’s with everyone keeping secrets?

“I’m Hana I’ll be your waitress could I get you anything to drink?”

I smiled at the waitress she was short and her hair was cut short as well but she looked really cute. “I’ll have a Coke or Pepsi but I don’t know about him--”

“I’d like Gyokuro” Noll said as he came from behind me and then sat in the booth across from me.

“Noll! Is that you?” she asked obviously happy to see him. Like she hasn’t seen him in awhile.

“Hana? Wow it’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”

She smiled one of those flirting kind. “I just got back from visiting family in Hiroshima.”

“I hope all is well.”

“Yes, would you like your usual?”

“Sure and whatever the young lady would like.” He turned to me and smiled which made me smile. I told her what I wanted and before she left she added, “Well catch up another time?” It was more like a statement then a question.

“yes.” Was all Noll said I raised my eye brow at him but he didn’t say anything.

We didn’t talk much and not even when she came back with a tea pot and my soda. She even left an extra tea cup just in case I would like to try the tea. Noll gestured if I’d like some and I nodded. We were still quiet when our food came out. A few bites in was when Noll spoke up.

“It’s time that you know the secret of your family, and the history of how things came about.”

Between mouth full’s I asked “A secret? What do you mean my parents were keeping secrets from me and Sade?”

“Well…” Nolls eyes averted mine.

“You mean Sade knows? About this secret and I don’t?” I was annoyed now how can I not know anything about my family and why? On top of that my brother knew. I huffed angrily “What’s going on!?” I almost yelled and a few people looked over at us.

“Your parents were going to tell you on your Eightieth birthday but they died before ...”

“They didn’t trust me enough and things around became misty.”

Noll shook his head, “That’s not it and not true they trusted you Sonja.”

“But why didn’t they tell me?”

“It was their choice” That answer got me even angrier and I started shoveling food in my mouth. “Slow down you’ll choke” He waited for me to calm down and I sat back and looked at him.

“Sonja, you’re a Vampire, the kind that can go out in the sunlight, eat like a regular human born, and sort of grow up like a human.”

“WHAT?” I hissed and Noll Shhhed me. “I’m a Vampire that has human tenancies?” I laughed at him thinking that he’s crazy.

“I’m serious. If you let me explain I can tell you how it happened?”

“I thought Vampires only go out at night and suck blood. What did Vampires evolve?” I said in disbelief

“Sort of.”

“What do you mean Sort of?

“Well… You see, there’s some that still go out at night, some go out in daylight and still survive on blood and some have human things but are vampires and also survive on blood too.” I stared at him and between us was like dead air on a live radio show.

I then laughed, “You joking right?”

“No I’m not joking.” And Noll looked very serious like when a president is telling his country something serious is happing to the world.

“Okay I’m listing.” That was my way of saying out with it.

“It a story that involves Ivory, Silver, A male Witch, A Vampire, a Werewolf, and a little magic.” I raised my eyebrows like “what?” But I knew he was serious and he paused giving me one of those looks my parents used to give me when lecturing me about something bad I’ve done when I was little.

“It was a time when some werewolf’s and Vampires were tired of the fight between them and things were starting to get dangerous because the mortals were starting to notice. It was a brilliant mind of vampires Mircalla who’s the elder of the famous Vampire Clan when to the leader of the werewolf clan who when by the name Rune Rein. No one knows what exactly what happened for them to come go agreements and a way to solve the problem. Put they do know that the meet in secret and formulating at plan. That plan wasn’t known then but they heard of witches and the powers they have. Mircalla came across this old ancient book that had powerful spells and dangerous ones. They both knew not to read them aloud for even those who don’t possess magical powers but an usual being at that they weren’t sure if they too posed something. They found a spell that would solve this riff and war between the species. At least it will stop it slowly and eventually stop it for a while at least you never know in the future but they did know that this will work.

With lot of Months of searching they found a young male witch a powerful witch whom they felt could perform the ritual and have it work. Now only was this witch strong in magic but physically. So combining both vampire and werewolf ritual will work. It wouldn’t work on someone who’s weak. Mircalla and Rune approached this young witch. They hoped if they explained to him what was going on in their world and sell him on their idea and how this would safe immortals and mortals alike. It took for each of them months for them to convince him to do this ritual and into a half vampire and werewolf. It was a simple phrase that got him to agree. “Please”.

What first was to happen was to combine Ivory and Silver and turned it into White Gold and Ivory and along making it Mircalla and Rune combined their blood into the melting as the young male witch recited words in latten. They felt wind as they did so and watched in awe as the sliver and ivory melted together. They had a mold to put this together for the new form to wear around his neck. I was sun and a moon over lapping each other as if in a mid Eclipse. Which they would but a star in the middle a diamond that Rune’s father found before he was bitten by a werewolf.

It was when the young male witch, started to speak in English when he cued for the both of them to bite him. They said the words were:

Now we combine flesh with blood
Thee heart beats as one
Join together to bring peace
Thy new blood
New power
Eternally forever.

Both Vampire and werewolf let go of the boy. The last words were whispered in Latin and Rune caught him before he fell and now all they had to do was wait. The transformation into vampire and werewolf they knew would be very painful. Mircalla finished the necklace placing the diamond in the middle and she clasped it on the boy’s neck sealing the spell.

This remained secrete for centuries how it happened there were rumors on how it happened. It wasn’t until the young male witch told them what happened. As centuries when on different branches of wolf/vampire combo then things branched out to different strains of this and that. Soon there was a new board of Elders that consist of One Werewolf, Vampire, Witch, Werewolf /Vampire without magical powers and one with and still stand today.

As for the war, things have been quite and lest just hope that it says that way."

I sat there taking it all in we were both quiet for a while he was pouring himself another cup of tea. I let it sink in and suddenly I knew what he said was true. Hana came with our food and a refill of my soda. “So, what you are saying is that I’m half werewolf and vampire?” I asked.

“Yes that is what I’m saying but not only that Sonja but do you feel the magic in you?”

I looked at him as if he were crazy, “Of course I do.” I knotted my eye brows as I ate some rice, “So I’m the Vampire/Werewolf with magic?”

“Serenely hope so because your family is connected right to the young witch.”

I almost chocked on my food, “WHAT?”

“Your great, great grandfather whom I believe is still alive.”

I was shocked Noll gestured for me to close my jaw and I looked down at my food remember something my mother told me. “ if you find yourself in trouble children look for your great, great grandfather Luca James Halifax” I suddenly looked at Noll “Luca James Halifax”

“Precisely but the only thing is no one knows where he is. There are even rumors that he despaired on the face of the earth something like that. Don’t believe everything that you hear.”

Noll and I were quiet again eating Hana came to our table asking if everything is alright and the food is all right and she also gave me another refill of my soda once more. I watched him eat he even ate like he was royalty. I made a small sinker. “What?” I shook my head stuffed my face.

“Noll what does this have to do with those whatever you call them coming after me?” It was a while before Noll spoke I guess he was gathering his thoughts or thinking of some best way to explain to me.

“Cloven and his Hunters they call themselves ‘The Hunters’ yeah I know real creative though Cloven and the Hunters sounds like a band.” He smiled at his own joke then quickly continued “Anyway, I guess it that time again then they’re going to be fights among one’s own. I guess it’s one of those cures that are left from the once mortal selves.”

“But, what dose Cloven want with me?” I asked remember what I heard outside when I was hiding.

“That I don’t know.” Noll frowned but I knew there was more to it and more to Cloven.

“There is more to this Cloven then you’re telling me.”

“There are something’s that need to wait. I think there are something’s that your Aunt wants to tell you.” And with that Noll’s body language changed closing the conversation.

We were quiet finishing our food. I thought that whatever my aunt had to tell me and maybe we can find my great, great grandfather like my mum told me and my brother. I frowned deeply thinking of Sade. I would feel if he was dead so I knew he was alive but I also wondered if he okay if he got the news about our parents. Is still going to the same college or different? I was about to ask Noll about my brother I thought against it. After we finished eating Noll asked for the check and then we stood up and he went and paid for our food at the front counter. The one we came in to since it was his friends they had a long good bye and I gave the “Nice to meet you’s”

Noll and I were on the road for two more hours and then he parked in a parking lot and got out. I took out my bag. “Were gonna have to walk the rest of the way. It’s not that far from here” I just nodded at him. I inhaled the scent of fall casting out the past day’s events and that secret my family failed to tell me but then again they weren’t planning on dying on me and Sade. The walk with reds and gold’s was a beautiful one making the path way of a mystical as if we were going off to some far off land. The walk felt grate from eating all that much food it was good to walk it off. I smiled as I watched Noll walk and I imaged him dressed like a Musketeer with the blue father hat and all. I laughed to myself and I imaged him as a samurai walking with one of those swards and his hand on it walking with dignity. Then I thought with aw as how he was a Pharaoh and then giggled as I though him saying to a servant girl “Feed me some grapes”

“Noll, you promised me that you’ll tell me how old you are… really”

He stopped and turned as the sun lit gold and red behind him. “When I was turned I was in my twenties.” He smiled playfully. “I was second son so I couldn’t be King but I was fine that that, I think something like that would go to my head.” He eye lowed “ I’m good friends with your great, great grandfather you could say we knew each other before we turned” then he laughed playfully so I wasn’t sure if what he said was true or not.

“That’s all your gonna tell me?”

Noll just laughed the kind of laugh that’s in your belly.