Doomsday; Children of the Fae, Book 1

Chapter 2; History

10:45 a.m. San Fransico Metro System

Shelby and I sat next to each other on a packed bus. I wasn't about to let her venture home alone. I wasn't sure if the guy who attacked her last night really was human now that I knew she was Fae. I particularly hated public transportation but for the sake of keeping up appearances I decided to swallow my pride. Shelby was chattering on about how she may never see sunlight again. "I never understood why I have a 9:30 curfew nothing really happens until after 9 in this city. All the shows don't end until at least 11pm, so I can't even see a show!"

"Are your parents your real parents." I ask suddenly.

"um as far as I know yeah..." She gives me a look as if I had grown a second head.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Just a brother, he's nine, acts like he's forty and the boss of me." Shelby rolls her eyes.

"Your parents are strict?" I ask even though I already knew the answer.

"Oh yeah, mom hates Jessica, but she let's me hang out with her because she knows she's one of my only friends- Oh, hey, this is our stop!" Shelby abruptly stood and pulled the cord signaling the bus to stop. I followed her off the bus. and took in the simple row of houses lined perfectly along the street.

"I'm a block this way." Shelby said as she started walking. We walked the rest of the way in silence. Shelby seemed to be taking her time getting home. I couldn't say that I blamed her.

She lived in your standard American family neighborhood. White picket fences, green, well manicured lawns and tiny yapping dogs. It almost seemed fake. I stopped as Shelby started to walk up the walkway to a powder blue home, An older green hatchback sat in the driveway, and a small American flag flew from one of the porch posts.

Just before Shelby reached the door an older woman in her early forties opened the door, "Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed pulling Shelby into a hug practically sobbing, "Mike! Oh Mike get down here. She's home!" She hadn't yet noticed me standing in the pathway watching the encounter. A man, a little older than the woman appeared suddenly. He was balding and wearing a pair of reading glasses on his head, "Where the hell have you been! Your mother and I were worried sick!" Just then he looked up to where I was standing.

"Shelby, who is this?" She managed to pull away from her mother's grasp to step back and introduce me. If I had wanted to just disappear without a trace I had missed my mark, but I needed to know more about this girl and her family.

"Mom, Dad this is uh...D!" She remembered Ben's nickname for me from the Diner. Smart girl. "She helped me last night when I got separated from my friends and lost my cellphone." I nodded in their direction hoping that would be a sufficient answer.

"I told you Jessica was going to end up getting you hurt," Shelby's mother started as she motioned for us to come inside, "Come visit a moment please while I call off the search party." Mike was a little less friendly, I could feel his eyes watching my every move as I entered his home.

Once inside their home looked even more like the stereotypical American, Christian family's home. Along the walls were lots of photos of Shelby and the family. Where there wasn't a photo a simple cross or framed scripture was in its place. I tried not to roll my eyes in disgust. Christians were by far my least favorite religious group - but I suppose anyone would say the same if they too had almost been burned alive and called Lilith.

"Please, sit, would you like anything to drink? water, tea?" Shelby's mother asked as we were ushered into a sitting room off of the kitchen. "I'm fine, thanks." I replied sitting next to shelby on an obnoxious floral couch that was clearly only used by guests.

"So D, is that short for anything?" Mike asked sitting across from us putting an ankle on his knee.

"No, Sir, it's just D." I smiled ready to put on the charm. I had enough practice over the centuries that my facade was very believable.

"Are you from around here?" Mike asked as his wife brought in two glasses of water for shelby and I despite rejecting her offer.

"Oh Mike, quit grilling the girl, she helped our daughter and she's our guest." She said sweetly sitting in the chair next to Mike's.

"Kathleen, I'd just like to know a little about the girl is all" Mike responded turning his attention back to Shelby and I, "So what happened."

"Well, we were at the McDonald's on main and I had gone to the restroom. When I came out I didn't immediately see Jessica or Hannah so I went outside to look," Shelby began her story as her parents hung on to every word. I allowed myself to drift off from the conversation studying the photos framed on the walls.

Shelby looked far different from her parents. Both had plain features and brown hair, Kathleen had simple hazle eyes while Mike had brown. Their son looked more like their child than Shelby.

"So that's what happened! D found me and I just crashed at her place until morning." Shelby finished looking particularly satisfied with her story. I could tell this wasn't the first time she had lied to her parents.

"Oh my goodness, well I'm glad your okay." Kathleen began, "but you missed curfew! Shelby you know the consequences and you lost your phone? We don't have the money to replace it right now." Mike finished. "I know I'll work extra shifts so I can pay for a new one!" Shelby offered.

"May I use your restroom?" I suddenly spoke up clearly startling Kathleen with my sudden interjection.

"Yes, of course, upstairs and to the left." I dipped my head and took my opportunity to look around freely.

Upstairs was no different from the sitting room, minus a small bookshelf with a few photo albums. "Baby Girl" was written in gold script on the spine of a white leather album. Carefully I pulled it out of its place and opened it. The very first thing I saw was a certificate from the San Fransico Adoption agency Certifying the Koller family as foster parents. I hadn't think to ask their last names. The book started out with photos of Shelby as an infant, less than a year old. Even then in the photos she had a glow about her. Flipping through a few more pages I found a small torn piece of notebook paper with a name "Julian" and a phone number hastily scribbled. Curious I quickly added the number to my phone and decided that my bathroom break was well over due. Carefully I added the album back to the shelf and went to join the Koller family downstairs before Kathleen sent a search party to look for me.

I could hear Kathleen speaking to Shelby, "I'm sorry but no more going out with Jessica. She's no good. Maybe spend more time with D. She seems like a nice girl." I smiled to myself inwardly, oh if they only knew. I had landed at the end of the steps by the time Kathleen finished. Mike had apperently already taken his leave. There was still no sign of their son.

"It was nice to meet you both, but I must be going." I smiled the friendliest smile I could muster and started to walk to the door. Shelby shot up from her seat and went to meet me at the door, "I'll walk you out!" Kathleen seemed to want to protest but gave up, "Alright, but then I need you back to finish chores." Shelby rolled her eyes as she closed the door behind her.

I smirked, "Stay in school, eat your veggies, don't talk to strangers." I went to walk off the porch when she stopped me, "Hey- so, how do I get ahold of you?" she asked shyly.

"You don't." I responded in matter of fact tone of voice.

"Oh c'mon! I'd like to at least have your number if I run into trouble again," Shelby complained.

"You won't." I stared at her expressionless, crossing my arms.

"D... please. I don't have any friends." Shelby was giving me a sorrowful expression.

Tilting my face to the sky, why is it always me. I reluctantly gave in. Attachments created weaknesses and bad people were always trying to find my weaknesses. "No number, but I will come and visit you in a week."

Shelby seemed fine with that answer. After giving me a quick hug she hurried back into the house.

---

11 p.m. The Apartment

Five hours later.

I'm back in the disgusting apartment. I carefully switch on the desk lamp sitting on a card table in the corner of the living room. The light isn't the brightest but if will suffice.

I pull out my phone scroll to my contacts and go to the number saved earlier today. I press the green call button carefully as if my phone might suddenly explode. After the first ring someone immediately answers, "Hello? Are you in any danger? Is she safe??" What an odd question. This must be for a worst case scenario.

"She's safe, but can I ask who I'm speaking with?" I respond carefully, willing whoever this is to give me some sort of answer.

"Who is this-" the voice responds before the line goes silent. Damnit!

I try calling the number again, but the line is dead. Silence, no ringing, nothing. This must have been an emergency number and I f****d it up. I was getting ready to fling a chair through the window when another option suddenly came to me.

I went to my contacts again, sighed, and pressed the green call icon. After two rings a husky voice answered the phone, "Hello? Ben, Remember how you said you owed me a favor? ...Yeah, call Evangeline."

---

12:15 a.m.

An hour or so later Ben drives up on a motorcycle. Shutting off the engine he pats the space behind him, "Get on, beautiful." He winks and I sneer in disgust. "Oh, don't act like you wouldn't f**k me right here, right now." Ben grins.

"Oh, I'm absolutely over joyed about smelling like dog for the next few days," I said sarcastically hopping onto the bike behind him.

He reaches behind grabbing my arms and wrapping them around his waist, patting them gently before saying, "safety first." He started the bike before I could respond with a snarky comment.

---

Four hours later its early morning and we've just arrived to Evangeline's home. A simple cabin tucked away on the edge of the redwood forest. Without knowing where you were going, no one would ever find their way here.

"Doomsday! Benjamin! My loves!" Evangeline exclaims as Ben turns off his bike. She walks towards us arms outstretched. Evangeline is a stunning woman with dark skin, hair and eyes of emerald green. Today she wore an olive colored maxie dress with a white lace shawl with long billowing sleeves. Her dark hair hanging in beautiful waves around her shoulders and face. She was wearing her standard assortment of gold jewelry and gemstones. She was an older woman, but with her smooth skin you wouldn't think she was a day over 35.

"Evangeline!" Ben boomed. I could practically see him wagging his tail even though he was in his human form.

"You know you're allowed to visit without a crisis, correct?" Evangeline exclaims gracefully gliding over to hug me.

"We know Eve, but I'd rather not lead danger to your home." I respond following her up to the front porch.

"Nonsense! No one is going to come bother an old crone like me," she cackled "if they know what's good for them!" Ben joins in on her laugher following us into the cabin.

"Sit, sit, ill make tea," she ushers us into her living room. Ben takes a seat on her sofa taking up nearly all three seats while I decide to sit near the fireplace. Although outside temperatures didn't effect me I still enjoyed the feeling a fire brought.

Eve walked back in with two cups of tea. It smelt herbal, mostly black tea with some lemon and possibly cinnamon. Ben chugged it like a shot the moment the cup hit his large hand.

"What brings you? Benjamin gave me some information over the phone, but I stopped him from telling me more. You never know who is listening now a days." Eve looked around suspiciously, abruptly swatting the air as if she saw something.

"Have you spoken to the Fae, Eve?" I ask bringing the cup of herbs to my nose letting it wash over me.

"Oh dear, well let's see, last I spoke to their Queen it had to have been over 20 years ago, before they went into hiding." Eve took a moment to ponder.

"Why did they go into hiding?" Ben asked suddenly belching.

"A-Ah manners," Eve wagged her finger at Ben. He made a show to bow his head as a sign of respect, I rolled my eyes, "Fae have very special blood. Their blood is an extension of themselves. It has miraculous healing properties," she began walking over to a large bookcase made from redwood, "To a vampire a Fae's blood is almost like a drug. A hallucination if you will. Vampires also have told me their blood is like a fine wine." She pulls out a large book, flips a few pages and hands it over to me.

Inside I see a photo of a painting depicting vampies with challices of blood standing next to a bleeding woman on an alter. "Vampires used to capture Fae, host grand balls and use them as wine barrels- for lack of a better example." Eve smiled awkwardly, "sometimes the Fae was willing, but mostly they were not.. it made the blood sweeter." She grimaced.

I got up and passed the book to Ben who growled at the photo, "sounds like if we get rid of the vampires a lot of our problems would be solved."

Eve smiled, "They have every right to be here too." Her smile faded and she looked to me, "all of our creation was against our own free will."

I lowered my eyes sitting my cup of tea down. Eve helped me find my humanity, certainly she could help us figure out why Shelby wasn't with the other Fae.

"I believe I found a member of the Fae, a child, who was cast out."

Eve seemed to consider it for a moment, "Their numbers have dwindled considerably, so it wouldn't surprise me, its probably in an effort to preserve the lineage in case they're found out - but that's not entirely possible either."

Ben and I looked at one another.

"We hid them," Eve began, "A powerful spell that would keep them hidden from any other supernatural. They would be able to break it, but I cannot do anything," Eve raised up her hands showing her palms.

"why would they cast out one of their own?" Ben asked, Fae were a lot like wearwolves. Their strength came in numbers. It was very rare to see them alone and without someone of their own kind.

"They wouldn't do that to just any member of the Fae, she must be important," Eve smiled.