Chapter 4

Jonathan could only blink, after all these centuries it would finally be over. Damn he wanted to shout it from the rooftops but of course ‘til the sign came he was still powerless to do anything. With only about two weeks ‘til all the clans get here he had a hell of a lot of work to do. Plus, as he thought not only the mage council, but the vampire council were going to be there, wonderful as if they wanted to be human even a second.

Jonathan had to think quick as he always had, if anything came out before everything was ready, he could kiss his ass goodbye. Sure, he was powerful more than any other mage, but that wasn’t any good when you were against one to two hundred others almost as powerful, they might not get him at first. Hell, he might even kill half of them but there were too many that had been around far longer than him. Jonathan spent the rest of the day coming up with a plan, it all depended on timing, plus, here Jonathan smiled a few hundred well placed friends.

Two weeks had past now, and I still hadn’t the chance to talk to Lana, damn it, it was like she was under lock and key. Hmm this was going to take some cunning and a little bit of insulting to get her back in the open. I wasn’t sure if she was agreeing with the plans of both councils or not, but I damn sure was going to find out. That night I sent a message to her knowing I’d get an almost immediate response I was already miles out of town. I’d been at the rock quarry almost two hours when I felt a presence approaching, this time I tripled my wards she would not ignore me, and I wouldn’t answer to a f•©king lackey.

“I suggest that you leave, this will be your only chance open your mouth and you’re dead.” I spit out, again he must have been a newly formed with a sneer he tried to deliver her message. He was dead before two words left his mouth.

Smirking I had my wards sweep what was left of him away, then waited again. It was only an hour later I felt her and several others approach, including that frilly boy I had broken the jaw of.

When they walked into my camp, I stopped all of them, “what I have to say is to Lana only, I...,” I started.

“Too bad you simpleton we are to...,” was all the lackey got out as his head left his body.

“Now then, if any other wish to actually die, speak now, that way, I can clean up now and not later. That includes you pretty boy though I have no such qualms about killing your ass!” I spit out, a look of pure hatred staring at Pennington. Ah! It is so satisfying to see the enemy piss their pants! Motioning he had all of the guards back out of camp though they could still hear what was being said, laughing I brought a silence ward around us.

Lana stared at me an intense look of hatred and something else, damn when had she gotten so hard to read?

“Jonathan there was no need for all of this!” she started pissed off.

“No need?! For two weeks I have tried to talk to you, every time pretty boy was there to refuse, saying you were asleep or away. You’d think he’d learned his lesson when I broke his hand, you don’t piss me off, you know better than anyone I would think or is another lesson needed?” I stated.

“NO! I did not know he had done that; I will speak...” Lana tried to amend.

“No!” I shouted, “I should have destroyed him, as I should have when he came here to insult me again!”

Lana’s eyes grew large, good now I knew this wasn’t her idea, but I had really mucked things up losing my temper.

“To you Lana, I will apologize, not that pompous little wanna be man or vampire, I’m still not sure of what he is.” Here Lana laughed, a truly delightful sound, one that went deep into me healing so much that had been destroyed and hurt.

“I am afraid this will be the last time I am able to see you,” Lana said, “Father and mother will be here within a day or so.”

Nodding I had suspected as much my own family was due any day now, sighing I thought I really didn’t want to see father right now, or mother again.

“Something is suspicious Lana, for pretty boy’s father to invoke all three of our memories. The simple fact that he doesn’t believe yours or Gregor’s is an insult enough for your father to declare war. Though knowing your father as I do I’m not sure he hasn’t already.” I said.

Lana gasp, she hadn’t thought of this as she too had heard rumblings from the Pennington’s land but had chosen to ignore them, now she wished she listened closer.

“The thing is I know I was set up that night I’m not sure by who but I know it, I am very close to having the evidence when the councils meet.” Here I watched Lana’s face again she was shocked not an easy thing to do to a vampire though at the moment she was all human.

“Jonathan we only have a week ‘til they start arriving, you have to make sure it will stand if you go against a vampire clan. Especially one like theirs that has been accruing the favor of more and more of the lesser clans.” Lana cried.

I’d heard of the many ‘gifts’ that they had been sending a lot of the lesser clans to sway them to their cause.

“Yes, it is starting to make sense now; it has to be what they are doing. Lana warn your father tell him the lesser clans are going to move on your clan and mine. Warn him, I see the war that’s coming, unless we can reduce their numbers soon, we’ll be outnumbered. For some reason I feel I am at the center of this, I have more power than anyone but they know they could take me down without a problem, unless...” I stopped looking at Lana the bewildered look on her face was quickly turning to rage, a rage I hadn’t seen in years.

“I’ll notify him as soon as I am back without pretty boy around. Thank you, Jonathan, though I fear we are too late to stop it all.” She said as she whirled and left with the others. Pennington gave me a hard look; I just waved a finger at him this in turn had him scampering away like a frightened rabbit.

I contacted my father as soon as I felt my powers return, he listened but as I thought he already knew of part of it. Though I am sure he hadn’t realized the full extent or reach of the minor clans to this point. I offered several powerful wards then thought better, I’d just put them there without his say, knowing the old man though he already knew. Father wasn’t the greatest strategic general, but the man could plan. I signed off wondering how Lana was doing with her father.

Tom Timmings was a little surprised; his son had thought this through in an hour it had taken him all month to formulate a plan. He knew for a fact that Jonathan would send wards a hell of a lot more powerful than any he could do, he welcomed them. With him and most of the family gone for this joke of a memory trial, their holdings were wide open. Damn it with all the deaths they were almost at half strength three fourths of those left were still too weak to be of much good. Whatever you had planned Jonathan be quick, Tom wasn’t sure they had much time left.

He had already aided Vidon in destroying the Pompoff clan there were maybe ten or fifteen left now, plus the rouge mage clan Prat, two clans but they both knew there were another twenty-eight clans out there, most were small but together they made a hell of an army.

Jonathan left an hour after his ‘guests did, he still had a few friends to contact, and supplies to gather for them. If he was right, they’d try to kill him before the judgment, as if that was going to happen. Feeling his anger rise he felt his control slip for the first time in two hundred years damn it! He’d worked too long and hard to control it for it to slip now, concentrating he felt the locks slip back in place. Phew that was close, anymore and they’d have felt him even in Europe, had to try and stay calm.

Shaking his head, sadly he knew that was going to be a very hard thing to do over the next two to three weeks; if he survived there might not be a council when he was through. Shit Jonathan just hoped that it didn’t get that far, shit I should have killed the pretty boy at the restaurant. It would have been easy to cover up, sighing he thought oh well, too late now. Arriving back in town he tried to stay as far from the vampires as he could, now that the sun was up, he could check on the buildings.

So far everything was as he’d ordered it everything extra that he’d added was there and ninety percent hidden. Smiling he was sure the older mages would overlook all the devices Jonathan had added to the walls, ceilings, floors.

If this came to a fight as Jonathan felt that it, would he was damn sure going to be ready. Sitting at his desk he knew everything was about to come to a head. The fact that his sister had appeared after two hundred years meant that the crisis he’d seen back then was quickly approaching. Damn Jonathan thought, just hope like hell he was ready for this. Seeing that everything was almost ready he went home to his room, opening a hidden panel he removed the blue crystal pendant hidden there. Smiling Jonathan thought ok, NOW, I’m ready for what is to come. Waving his hand over it, the pendant started to hum good he thought it is still well charged two hundred years hadn’t drained its power at all.

Replacing the pendant in its box Jonathan carefully placed it back in its hiding place; soon I’ll have need of you again. I just hope that this time no one will have to die; I am far more powerful now, than I was then, and no one should have to.

The next day Lord Vidon arrived on the train, accompanied by Pompoff, Vidon wasn’t in the best of moods. He’d had to listen to the ass while they were awake, a non-stop prattle of almost gibberish nonsense, it had taken all he could not to remove Pompoff’s head the second day. How the hell could a vampire be so talkative? The complete trip the man spoke had Vidon’s blood boiling to destroy him. Sighing, at least he wouldn’t have to put up with the man that much once they were in their rooms, though for some reason Vidon felt that remained to be seen.

Lana met him at the station this time they had arranged for the train to come in at night, Vidon would have enjoyed the trip more but well at least Lana was a welcome sight.

“Hello father I trust you had a pleasant trip?” she asked though, he could see that she knew.

“As pleasant as is possible in these primitive conditions.” He answered her; he could also see that she was at her wits end about the whole situation, good that meant there was hope after all.

“We have set up a number of rooms for you and mother; she is set to arrive tomorrow.” Lana replied.

“Good I have a good many things to discuss with her, inform me when she arrives,” He ordered then went to the family’s building.

Across town Jonathan was awaiting the arrival of his father along with a few trusted cousins. Sighing Jonathan wasn’t sure he was really ready to see his father; he had managed to avoid him for almost two hundred years now.

The wind started to blow a little in the room Jonathan back up as his father’s party started to appear, just like father he thought always making a scene even when it wasn’t necessary. Tom Timmings appeared in front of Jonathan with a flash, then several of his court then the cousins.

“Ah!” stated Tom Timmings, “I see you are finally sticking to protocols, meeting the leader of the clan.”

“Uh, no father,” Jonathan replied, “I’m just here to blanket your arrival from the norms, you are kind of loud when you arrive.”

One of my dad’s court stepped forward in a threatening manner, “you young pup! You’ll show the proper respect to the clan...” Looking at him I just waved my hand and stared hard at him, “you had better realize who the f•©k you are dealing with before you open your mouth!” Growling I started to squeeze, as the man started to choke my father put his hand on my shoulder effectively saving the man’s life. “Next time you might not be so lucky, remember that I was rated a few weeks ago higher than my father, much HIGHER!”

My father could see this was about to explode into a dangerous situation plus the fact that he’d probably have no staff left when I was through. Quickly he escorted his staff out the door, I just hoped that he talked to them; I wasn’t really in the mood to explain shit, especially to cocky young idiots. Excusing myself I went to inspect the buildings and how they were going, suddenly there was another whoosh of air and my mother was standing in the next room. Shit! I thought I’d have at least a day to avoid them before the full force of the family was brought to bear on me.