Cursed by Fate (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty Nine

As the days passed I was gaining more and more control over my abilities. The weather came first. After learning to control my emotions better and stopped getting so upset and irritated for not learning faster, controlling it became much easier. I hated having to admit Elias was right. All I needed was a break, to clear my head of all the negative emotions and focus more on one thing at a time. 

Learning how to heal came naturally to me. I’ve always wanted to help people and now that I could I was thrilled. Uriel taught me how to heal myself first, then taught me to heal others. Turns out the kids around here get hurt a lot and the pack doctor was at his wits end from patching them up. He was more than happy to let me work in the office for a few days. The kids seemed to like the change as well. It seems the alpha don’t usually have much contact with them. It was sad to be honest. How can one lead a pack when he or she doesn’t know their own people? It just didn’t make any sense. I had to change that perspective for the people who depend on me now. 

As things progressed I was gaining more and more confidence over everything. Lance was helping me learn all my alpha duties, which was a pain in the ass, and was stressful. Lance knew what he was doing though, and seemed like he enjoyed it. Much more than I ever would. Maybe he would like to be named alpha. He'd do much better than I ever would. I guess I’ll have to ask. 

“Nicole, the vampire elders are here.” Elias said coming to stand behind me. 

“Do I have to?” I groaned. 

Elias just laughed as he started to lead me by the small of my back. “Yes Rosa mea, you have to. Just like the wolf pack, the vampires will depend on you now. You are the coven leader. No other can replace you as a master vampire. You are the only one who can add to our numbers, the only one able to turn people into vampires.” 

“Wait.” I stopped dead in my tracks. “What do you mean turn people? Why would I do that?”

“Vampire’s numbers are dwindling Nicole. We need more vampires to keep our race from going extinct. It is rare for one of our females to get pregnant. Vampire born vampires are more powerful, but there is maybe one vampire born among thirty turned. In the entire coven, which consists of around five hundred vampires, there are maybe ten vampire born children. And we are the last vampires left that we know of.” 

“I won’t turn people against their will Elias.” I told him sternly. “I won’t take another person's choices away.” 

“Of course not. We have people, the coven call them feeders. They are willingly living among the vampires and feeding them. Many want to become one of us, but none of us had the ability to grant it to them. Now we have that choice.”

“Feeders? And you promise me they are feeding the vampires of their own free will, none of them have been compelled, or forced to do so?” 

“Yes Nicole. I guarantee you they are all doing it freely. Vampires may have the ability to compel humans to do as they wish, but many will not take advantage of that power. Not unless they absolutely have to.” Elias assured me. 

“Very well.” I sighed. “Bring me names, birthdays, anything you can about these feeders who wish to be turned. I will get the truth out of them.” 

“Actually, the elders brought a few of them with them today.” Elias admitted sheepishly. 

“Did you know about this?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“I did.” 

“And you didn’t inform me of this, why?” 

“I wanted the elders to explain it to you. Come on, you need to speak with them.” He said pulling me along behind him. 

I wasn’t sure why the vampire elders would bring humans along with them knowing fully well I am new to all of this and don’t even know how to turn a human. And how did they know I actually would do it anyway? There will have to be an interview of sorts. I need to know how long they’ve been a feeder, why they want to be turned. I would want to know what they wanted out of immortality and their new abilities. I would not turn someone seeking revenge. They would pose too much of a risk of exposure. 

Elias led me back to my office where five vampires and at least ten humans were waiting. Ten? Elias said a few, ten is definitely more than just a few. Why would the elders bring these people specifically? What was their end game in all of this? Question upon question filled my mind as I took a seat at my desk across from the vampires. 

They looked young, but that didn’t mean anything. What surprised me was they all looked looked similar. All five of them had ash blonde hair and blue or green eyes. They all had long faces and perfectly clear almost translucent skin. They looked like the stereotypical vampire. I wonder if they had done this on purpose. 

The humans ranged. There were six women and four men. All the men were bulky and ripped with muscles. Their stoic and emotionless appearance put me on edge. But if you looked closely you could see the fear and hesitance in their eyes. They were nervous, their eyes strained and jaws clenched. If they wanted this, wouldn’t they be more at ease? I turned to the women and saw the clear fear on their faces. They were all but trembling as they huddled together.

“What is going on here?” I asked the elders, looking between them and the humans. 

“These are our candidates we wish for you to turn.” One said looking at me, their eyes shifting nervously. 

“Yes well, we will get to them later.” I said, eyeing  them suspiciously. 

We spent the next few hours talking and letting the elders catch me up on things that’s been happening within the coven. I wasn’t sure if I believed them though. They seemed nervous and hesitant in their answers, like they were trying to work their way around telling me the entire truth. I’d talk to Elias about it later, right now I was more concerned about the humans. 

“I want to speak with the humans. Alone.” I emphasised the word with narrowed eyes. 

“I can’t allow that.” The elder I now knew as Castiel said, his voice wavering slightly. 

“I didn’t ask for your permission nor do I need it. All of you leave, now.” 

The elders all got up looking like they were fighting the compulsion in my demand. That made my suspicions rise even higher. Were these people really doing this willingly? Or were they being forced? It didn’t matter. I would find out and deal punishment where needed, if needed. 

“Now.” I said leaning forward and clasping my hands together on my desk. “Tell me. Why do all of you want to become vampires? And don’t even think about lying to me. I don’t care what the elders told you.” 

All ten men and women looked at each other in fear. They were all visibly trembling now, their eyes were wide and glassy with tears. Whatever the elders told them has them terrified of them and of me. What did the elders say to them? Surely they wouldn't make them do this against their will. 

“Are any of you doing this willingly? Or are the elders forcing you to? Now don’t worry about any kind of punishment from the elders, you will all have my protection. But there is only so much I can do unless someone starts talking.”  Their eyes shifted to Elias who was standing uncomfortably behind me, then back to me. “Don’t worry about him.” I said waving off their unease. “He is my mate, he will also be protecting you.” 

It took a few moments and a few shifty glances before someone decided to speak up. 

“They didn’t ask.” A man with longer hair said. “They grabbed all of us. Our family is powerful in the human world, holds a lot of properties and stock holdings. They want that power. They’re holding our baby sisters hostage until this is done. We have no choice.” 

My blood boiled. “So all of you are siblings, how old are these girls?” I asked, my hands clenching into fists. 

“We are. Some of us are adopted. But the girls are five, they’re twins.” A woman said meekly. 

“And how did they even have access to these girls?” 

“Us volunteering as feeders led the elders to them. We never thought that this would happen.” The man bowed his head, eyeing the floor. 

“You didn’t think that centuries old vampires wouldn’t want more power than they already have? Please tell me you are not that naive. Anyone with power, immortal or otherwise will only want more power. And you five just so happened to drop that power into their laps.” I shook my head, disappointed.  “Do you know where they are holding the girls? How many are guarding them?” 

“They brought them with us today. They wanted us to know that they were close to us, but just out of our reach. If we fail and you don’t turn us, the elders will kill them. Not all the elders were here with us. There are two more.” 

“Elias, can you bring the elders in here please? And speak to the pack and try to find out where they took the children. I’d really rather not have to take a life today, certainly not a vampire elder. Though make no mistake, they will be punished.” Fire danced in Elias’s eyes as he nodded and stormed through the door. 

I watched the five siblings as they shuffled nervously around in front of me. They were clearly uncomfortable and scared. Not only for themselves but for the two innocent children they had unknowingly involved in this world. Those poor girls would never be able to get away now.