It was well into the evening before the last of the supernatural leaders arrived and a meeting could be held.  They unanimously agreed to remain in the shadows until absolutely necessary and wait for Bartholomew to make the first move.  It was hoped by all that something would occur -either by magic or just a change in events- to sway the army from the path it was on and dissipate the threat of their world.Upon closing the meeting, the attendees went off into various directions to form small social groups.  It was at this time that Belle took on human form and asked me to take a short walk with her.  Overwhelming curiosity, mixed with the desire to stretch my legs, prompted me to readily agree.“You do not remember me, do you?” Belle said in a soft voice meant for my ears only.“Did you visit me at my grandparent’s home?” I asked with uncertainty. “No, silly,” she giggled.  “I

The remaining part of our trek to the subterranean mutant-vampire kingdom was long, tedious, and grueling. By the time we settled into the meeting room of Sybil’s grand house, my mood was anything but good.  Making such a difficult trip as a pregnant vampire was enough to justify my attitude without compounding it with constant concerns of encountering Bartholomew’s men or mutants; as well as thoughts of where I fit in the love triangle of Shona, Geo, and Luthias milling through my mind.Word from Geo didn’t reach us before we were ready to leave Nikodem’s place, so Luthias and Jason decided to leave Gwendoline in the company of the faes.  We didn’t want her returning to Verso, since it would be a longer trek to the subterranean kingdom should I need her, but we also didn’t want her being unnecessarily exposed to the potential dangers while journeying there.  I would have stayed behind with her, had I been given the opportuni

I was both surprised and pleased at how quickly Gwendoline appeared at my bedside.  It was impossible to travel from Nikodem’s place so quickly. Had she followed us without our knowledge?“I used teleportation,” she said once she’d completed her own examination on me.“We could have teleported here?” I exclaimed as I recalled the horrific journey I’d endured.“There were too many of ye to teleport,” she explained.  “’Tis best to stick to one or two; maybe three. Belle and I were the only ones to come.”“Belle is here?” I squealed with joy.“She will be in to check on ye shortly,” Gwendoline said with a smile.“I really like her,” I mused.“Ye always did,” Gwendoline said.“You think I’m Shona too?” I pouted. “I feel displaced.”“Ye are Casey.  Don&rsquo

It took Belle several nerve-wracking hours to return with information.We were officially at war.  The news that Bartholomew’s men were in the tunnels came during Gwendoline, Geo, and Luthias’s little pow wow.  Apparently, the sitting room had several secret doors of which Julia was well acquainted.  She rushed in and delivered the news to him herself.  Geo sent her off to assemble their army and then rushed out to see me to safety. The eminent threat to the kingdom was why he was so preoccupied and unwilling to stay and argue with me about my going to my room.  I shook my head.  Dear Geo had a lot to learn about bedside manner.  He would do well to take a few lessons from Luthias.  I wondered if it was just his centuries of womanizing that gave Luthias such charismatic people skills or if it was something inherent within him. If it was the latter, then poor Geo was cheated.  I loved him dearly, but his ser

Luthias stayed with me in my rooms until Gwendoline returned the following day. She brought with her very sad news.  Not only had she not been able to locate -or even sense- Geo while scrying, but she’d heard word that Barthomew’s army was a three-day march away from Vampire Land.  A battle was inevitable.Luthias called for an assembly of warriors and we met them in the great hall. Although I knew I needed to address them, I was finding it difficult to think.  News of Geo’s complete disappearance and concern for his life was all I could think of.  It took some heavy duty lecturing on Gwendoline’s part to snap me out of panic mode.Although she was worried about Geo, she was equally concerned about Luthias.  She took me aside and quietly informed me that I’d only stated my plans to wed Luthias before her, Luthias, and Pierre.  Therefore, although it would probably rip Luthias’s heart out, I still had tim