Fighting Destiny (Central Coven) (26 page)

The elf leaders came back last week because of the
Council
meeting, and my parents weren’t there.  I never realized my parents were even on the
Council
.  Of course, I didn’t know any of this existed before I met you.

Anyway, your mother expected to see them then.  I guess she hadn’t taken what you said about them disappearing very seriously because she has known my parents for a few hundred years, and she believed they could take care of themselves.  But when she didn’t see them there, she began to worry.

She asked the other elves if they were at the gathering, and then everyone became worried.  They have never missed one before this year.  Since the attendance, the meeting place, and what occurs is secret, no one was alerted until the
Council
meeting that they were missing,” Finn explained.

“So this entire time I thought your parents were missing, you thought what, they were at the elvin gathering?” I asked.  “Yes. That is what your mother told me was most likely.  But there are a few others that did not show up to the
Council
meeting.  Most were only semi-prominent, but then there is a wizard named Carlos Sanchez.  Have you ever heard of him?” 

“Anita’s father, shit, that makes another one.  I didn’t push her for the full explanation, of course they would go after him too.” “What?  But Anita isn’t half witch,” Finn responded puzzled.  I gave him a look that said I knew what I was saying. “Grey told me the other day.  He discovered her father is Carlos Sanchez, a powerful wizard. He was going to tell her, but if you haven’t noticed she hasn’t been very stable lately.  Now isn’t the time to pull the rug out from under her.” 

“But what does this mean, that my parents and Anita’s father have disappeared at the same time?” Finn asked.  “Well that is the million dollar question, isn’t it?” “Do you think Simone could have caused their disappearances?”  “I don’t want to believe that.  Elves and wizards are much more powerful than her kind.  There is something more going on here.” I explained to him what my mother told me about the
Watchers
and about why our powers were bound.

“This will never end, will it?” Finn asked sullenly.  “It doesn’t seem that way right now, does it?” I answered with equal regret.  I put my hand on his shoulder and he put his hand on mine.  Again the surge of energy raced between us.  How long could I pretend there wasn’t anything between us?  For now, at least a while longer I would.

I pulled my hand out from underneath his quickly, and saw the sorrow in his blue eyes.  “Chloë,” Finn began.  “Don’t,” I said.  “When?”  “I don’t know, not now,” I begged.  “You know it is supposed to be you and me.  You can feel it when we are close, or when we touch,” he said confidently. “I know.  But still I can’t.  Not now.  I’m not free to feel the way you want me to.”  “I’ll wait.  I have forever.”  “That is good to hear.  Even though it is not fair to expect you to.  How did we get so messed up?”

“You don’t have to expect it Chloë.  I can’t do anything else.  You are like air to me.  I need you.  If I have to wait for you, I will.  I know I have screwed everything up, but we are destined to be together.  You know that right?”  “Destiny.  Why does everything have to be destiny? Yes I feel it.”  “Then why do you fight it?”  “I don’t know.  I guess I’m just not ready to give into destiny right now.  And I’m sorry, but I do love Grey,” I told him.  “I know you do.  I can feel that too. But I’ll wait for you anyway.  Forever if I have to.”

Finn got up from the table, placed his hand on my shoulder, and I knew he was right.  He was my destiny.  I was lying to myself.  His touch pulsed through me, sending electric current through every nerve in my body.  My eyes filled with tears, because I just wasn’t ready to trust him, yet.

I also wasn’t ready to give up Grey.  Every moment I spent with him made me feel more alive.  I’ve never felt this torn in two different directions. Is it possible to have two futures, and crave each with equal desperation? 

I walked slowly back to my room.  I needed the time alone to think.  What was I going to do now that I knew what had been pressing at the back of my mind all along?  I belonged with Finn. I couldn’t deny it anymore.  Even still, I wanted Grey. It would cut me too deep to hurt Grey, but my heart was bleeding knowing Finn was out there waiting for me.  What could I do?  It wasn’t possible to have them both, that wasn’t me, and it wasn’t either of them.

For now I would do nothing.  Finn might be my future, and I was pretty sure he was, but I am equally sure Grey is supposed to be my present.  Finn touches the life in me, but Grey is my lifeline.  I just can’t let him go right now.  I hope Finn can forgive me.  I’m just not ready to face my destiny.

I took a deep breath and opened the front door of the dorm.  It was still a couple of hours before the sun would set.  I could go and see Grey, but until he called it would be best to let him handle any of his needs in private. 

I walked into the brick covered lobby, and saw Finn leaning casually against the wall next to the stairwell.  His thick, dark brown hair waved and framed his bright blue eyes, while hiding the tops of his ears.  When he saw me, his trademark devilish grin spread across his face.  How could I have fooled myself for so long? 

Finn laughed quietly and ran his hand through his hair.  I have always found Finn attractive, but I never realized he was this perfect looking, until now.  His hair is nearly black, but enriched by brown so it was still warm. The thick dark waves in his hair reflect light.  No man should have hair this beautiful. 

He is tall, over six feet, and when I’m near him I have to look up into his mesmerizing blue eyes.  Finn is not as muscular as Dean, but where Dean is broad, Finn is lean, and just as well defined. 

He has great taste in clothes.  Like right now he’s wearing the most perfect fitting jeans I’ve ever seen on a man, in the perfect dark/faded blue.  His charcoal gray t-shirt hints at the muscles underneath, while accenting his vibrant eyes.  I do not know much about men’s shoes, except that his are very fashionable, black, and leather.  He finished his look with a black leather jacket.

Finn laughed, this time a loud, rumbling laugh.  I looked at him curiously. Obviously, I wasn’t in on the joke.  “Chloë, are you checking me out?” he asked amused.  “No.  I mean…well…yeah, I guess I was,” I laughed nervously.  He closed his eyes, suddenly serious, “I wish.”  I put my hand up to stop him, “Not again Okay?  You’ve already got me thinking.  But the truth is, no matter what I feel; I’m not ready to do anything about it.  So can we just not talk about it until I’m ready?”  “I’ll try.
That
is all I can promise,” Finn said in a strained voice.

“Thank you.  I can’t ask any more of you,” I said with a smile.  Then without thinking, I did something truly stupid.  I couldn’t resist touching his thick hair again.  It had been so long.  I reached up and stroked the strand that always fell forward into his face.  He held his breath.  I stretched up, and kissed him on the cheek. 

The jolt I felt was strong and overpowering.  I wanted to surrender to the feeling, but I couldn’t. No, I wouldn’t do that to Grey. I looked into his eyes and heard my mother’s voice hinting at the plans she had for Finn.  Something pricked at the back of my mind, a knowledge not fully formed.  I started to move away, but I felt magically bound to Finn.  The harder I tried, the more it hurt.  I took a big step toward the stairs, and the blackness overtook me.

“Chloë, Chloë, can you hear me?” Anita was pleading.  I opened my eyes to find myself on my bed in my room.  Anita was pacing the floor, worried. Dean was sitting on her bed, amused.  Finn was standing by the window, but I couldn’t tell if he was amused or worried.  Honestly, he looked irritated.

I sat up, slowly, because my head was spinning.  Finn lifted his head, and our eyes met.  “There was actually something I wanted to talk to all of you about. Before the lights went out, that is,” I told them.  “Yeah, about that.  You ran your fingers through his hair and then passed out?” Anita asked.  “Apparently so,” I responded, embarrassed.  “Well…do you guys want some time alone to talk?” Dean asked.  “No!” Finn and I both answered at the same time.  We looked at each other and laughed.

“So you wanted to talk to us.  I’m assuming this is about the red-headed bitch and her vamp boy toy?” Anita said making me focus on her instead of Finn.  As usual, her crass, point-blank nature brought me back into the moment.  “Yes, Anita.  Thanks for that,” I answered.  “Hey, I’m just callin’ ‘em as I see ‘em,” she said and sat next to Dean.

“Well I need to tell you about a dream I had last night.  I’m not psychic, and I’ve never had a vision without my familiar giving it to me, but I can’t shake this dream.”  “What is a familiar?” Finn asked.  “Oh, it’s an animal that stays close to a witch or wizard and acts as a spiritual guide,” I told them.  “Chloë has a red-tailed hawk that comes to her when it needs to give her a message,” Anita said bored.  She had heard this before.

“But, this hawk wasn’t there?” Finn asked.  “No, I was inside, asleep.”  I told them about the dream, the raven pulling my hair, being bloody, and dirty, trying to chase down an eagle.  “Are you sure this wasn’t just a dream?” Finn asked again.  “It didn’t feel like a dream. It felt real. Just humor me and help me think it through.”

Finn nodded.  “Well, remember when we got chased by that flock of ravens at the beginning of the quarter?” Anita asked, with a bright spark of knowledge flashing in her eyes.  “How could I forget that?  Ravens are symbolic of death. There were so many of them there, which made it such an ominous warning.”

“So a raven could also symbolize a necromancer since they speak to the dead and cast death magic?” Dean asked.  “It’s a spell,” Finn said simply.  “What?  Oh my god! You’re right,” I gasped.  “What kind of spell combines hair, blood, and earth?” Anita asked.  “A binding spell,” Finn answered again.  How did he know this and I didn’t?

I looked at him confused.  “Finn?”  “I was hoping it was a dream, because otherwise what I found in one of your spell books while you were passed out means that my parents bound my powers,” he answered with growing anger.  “I already told you my mother claims they did just that. The thing I don’t understand is your parents are elves, and they wouldn’t have had the ability to bind your powers.  They would have needed a witch or wizard to do that.  My mother said she didn’t agree with their approach.  How would they have bound your powers?”  “They are close to your mother, and a few others as well, others who have also gone to extreme measures to hide their children,” he said with a knowing glance at me.  Ah, Anita’s father.  It made sense.

Anita was watching us sharing information she didn’t completely understand, and it irritated her.  She jumped in to steer us back on topic.  “Regardless…I mean yeah that sucks Finn, but we are in the middle of a crisis, and you have your powers now, so we’ll deal with that later, ‘kay.” “I already told you this earlier, why did it take finding my book to believe me?”  Finn put his hands out to show he meant no harm. “I just hoped you misunderstood what Marguerite said.  But, then I found the spell, and realized you were right, they were all in on it together.” “So, it is a binding spell. Who are we binding?” Anita asked, trying to keep us focused.

I thought for a second, mentally replaying the dream.  “I believe we need Simone’s hair.  She’s using Alexander to create the vampires she controls, so I think we need his blood.  That is going to be hard to get.”  “Not as hard as you think,” Grey said entering through the window.  I jumped when I heard his voice.

I hadn’t noticed that Finn moved to the center of the room while we were talking, and I certainly hadn’t noticed the sun had set. Now that I’m not lying to myself anymore, I can’t deny I love Finn. But, if I’m really being honest I love Grey too.  I love them both.  Well, this just sucks!

“Earth to Chloë!” Anita snapped.  “Wha…huh? Sorry, zoned out.  How is that going to be easy?” I asked Grey, trying to ignore the stares Anita was projecting at me.  “I created Alexander, and he made Anita what she is.  You use our blood, it’s the same as his,” Grey said with a smirk.  “You what?” I asked shocked.  Why was this the first I had heard of that?

“What about the earth?” Dean asked, keeping me focused.  “Good question.  I have never done a binding spell.  I’m not even sure I can bind the powers of another witch.  Since a necromancer is basically a witch, their powers cannot be bound, unless another necromancer is casting the spell.  I can’t tap into the same power she has, even though I am more
powerful
, so we will have to find a necromancer she isn’t in league with.” 

“Witches have a lot of rules,” Anita complained.  “They aren’t rules so much as laws.  And when I saw laws, I mean similar to a scientific law, like gravity.  And just like I don’t understand all of the physics behind natural laws, I can’t tell you why it is that way, just that it only works when a witch binds a witch and a necromancer binds a necromancer.”

“It is obvious the earth means just that, earth.  Where we get it is the confusing part, so we need to focus on that.  There is another element to your dream, or vision, whatever.  What were you chasing after?” Finn asked leading me to something he was already considering.  “Mon Dieu!  I am missing everything aren’t I?” I laughed.  “Ugh, can you fill the rest of us in on this enlightening revelation?” Anita demanded.  I smirked, “My father is Eli Soaring
Eagle
.”