Jewel's Life

18

Later that day, after all the children were put to bed the adults meet in Adam's study. Mike ushers in Margo and hovers over her. He goes to a chair and sits pulling her on top of him. Adam, Julie, Aaron and Alex are the next ones to enter close on Mike's heels. Aiden with Jennifer go to the back wall and lean against it.

Michelle and Sarah come in next with their respective husbands right behind them. Mary Ann and Andres come in last and silently close the door.

Once everyone has a chance to sit or find a comfortable position Mike launches into his story. As they hear about the black witch and what she plans to do silence falls thick and heavy.

"That can't be allowed to happen. It won't be just supers that are killed. Thousands were killed last time, mostly humans and there weren't the populations that we have here now. More than a million live in the city or its environs. If the demon doesn't kill them the damn angels will." Mary Ann speaks up, and for the first time in Adam's memory her voice isn't sure and strong. 

It is the weak and wavery voice coming from the scariest vampiress to ever live, until Jewel that is, that scares the others in the room.

"Mrs. Demarco, forgive me, but you sound as if you remember the fight." 

"I do. I and my family were some of the lucky ones to survive. As soon as we could we left Santorini and never looked back. We lost my grandmother, a sister and a brother. Whole families were lost, some of whom were my friends. 

"The fight between the demon and the angel was terrific. Beautiful but horrifying at the same time. There was no safe place to hide. Houses were demolished without care or thought. The shocks of their bodies being thrown into the ground caused earthquakes and the caves caved in. Boats on the water were overturned by the waves. Fires raged out of control and the air became nearly unbreathable. Bodies littered the streets burned, broken, trampled.

"Once the angel finished off the demon he did something and the volcano erupted adding to the noxious atmosphere and killing even more. When all was said and done most of Santorini was gone and so too were most of the inhabitants." There is horror in her eyes even as she finishes her story.

"Adam, you need to find that black witch and put an end before it begins." Andres declares even as he holds his wife protectively in his arms.

"Thank you dad, I intend to do just that. I would appreciate any ideas you might have." Adam says then directs his next words to them all, "Any of you. We'll need a witch to help us break through any enchantments."

And so it began, they spent hours planning where and when to strike. The sun is just starting to peak over the horizon when they finally wrap things up and head to bed. None of them are feeling very happy about the future.

Julie watches unhappily as her family prepares to leave and look for the black witch threatening to destroy them all.

"Julie," Julie stiffens at Adam's voice. He called her Julie, he only does that when he's angry.

Julie turns and faces him with one eyebrow raised and waits expectantly. "You know why we are doing this, you know why you can't come."

Julie opens her eye wide with those words. "You bloody idiot. Of course I do to both things, I'm not stupid. Against humans I can fight and win, no problem. Against supers I'm far less likely to win. I'm not going to endanger myself, my children or cause more danger to you all because you have to babysit me just because I hate waiting for news to come. I'm not stupid, Adam." Now Julie is angry. 

She can't believe that he thought-

Adam comes up behind her and pulls her close. "There is blood in the fridge marked with our names. There's extra for Jennifer and Sarah as well.

"I'm sorry, Jewels, I should know better by now and apparently I don't. I know you're not stupid. I could never love a stupid person. I'm messing up again like I did when you first came here. I don't want to leave with you angry with me. Forgive me?"  Adam pleads with her. If she doesn't it will be a distraction for him and that won't be good.

"I forgive you. Your mother is out there, you should go now. I love you." Julie has already told the others that she loves them.

"You know why she is coming-"

"I understand," Julie sighs, "she's a damn good fighter and just mentioning that she's coming will make the enemy lose focus. She's an asset where I'd be a liability. I know my limits when it comes to fighting. 

"Go kick some wolf ass and come back safe, all of you." Julie says softly but they all hear her and assure her that they will return. Those that are married tell their spouse good bye then the group leaves.

"Julie," Michelle looks at her friend with fear, "do you think they'll come back unharmed?"

"Unharmed? No, they are few going against a fairly decent sized pack. Unlike the rogue pack they went against for me they will be severely out numbered. We only know of one possible black witch. There might be a whole bloody coven for all we know.

"Will they come back though, oh, yes. They will be back. The question is, just how hurt they will come back to us as?

"That is the question I cannot answer, Michelle. I wish I could. I wish there had been more time to gather information and fighters, but time is against us on this one.

"But there is nothing more we can do. The children should be getting up by now, let's go help the nursery personnel out. We've more than doubled their workload." With those words Julie leads the other females back inside to help deal with hungry, tired, ornery children.

She just hopes that dealing with the children will make the time go by swiftly.