Chapter Seven

Joshua Chasez closed the book he'd spent the last few hours reading and tossed it on the couch next to him while standing to stretch. His stiff muscles popped as he walked into the kitchen and he opened the fridge pulling out a carton of orange juice, letting the door close as he opened the carton and took a long slow drink.

"Mortals who find the truth about us have to suffer the consequences."

The carton slid from his hand hitting the floor causing the liquid to puddle around him as he stumbled back against the fridge.

"How did you get in here?"

Lance slid from the counter and laughed a low deep laugh as he stepped toward him.

"How I got in should not be your concern....the fact that I'm here should be."

Joshua moved his hand across the front of his body motioning the sign of the cross and glanced to the left and right of him for a way to get away.

"A thousand Hail Mary's can't help you right now. You and I have some things to discuss."

He ran his finger slowly down Joshua's cheek and smiled as he watched the blood run from the scratch that followed his path.

"You denied Christabela her request and that makes me very angry."

Joshua shook his head frantically and widened his eyes trying to step back closer to the fridge.

"I don't know a Christabela. I don't know what you are talking about."

Lance raised his hands in the air and a strong gush of wind blew through the room knocking objects from the shelves to the floor with a loud crash causing Joshua to gasp in horror. He lowered his hands making the room quiet once again and moved away from Joshua back to the counter lifting himself up and sitting back down.

"Father Mulhee told you to much information that you never should have known. You knew who she was the minute she stepped into the church."

"No.......I.....I didn't...I mean..." he nervously stumbled over his words and closed his eyes saying a silent prayer before opening his eyes again.

"I didn't know till she asked for the book and then I suspected.....but I wasn't for sure........"

"You weren't for sure till you read it."

Joshua nodded, letting himself relax slightly.

"Father Mulhee told me about her. I knew he was protecting her, but I never knew why."

"I've watched you for the past nine years. Knew the things he told you about us." Lance said, slipping from the counter again causing Joshua to tense as he stepped closer to him.

"Ever wonder how Father Mulhee knew so much, or why a man of the cloth would protect someone from the dark side?"

Joshua shrugged and reached up touching the scrape along his cheek.

"I did ask once, but he refused to answer. Just said it was important that I knew of your kind and about Christabela. He told me about the book, but said it must never be found or opened. I never questioned him, but when Raven......when she came asking for it.....well........"

He watched as Lance folded his arms across his chest and began pacing the space in front of him stopping to glance over his shoulder. He nervously swallowed as Lance's eyes glowed a bright yellow and began to tense once again.

"You will not take her from our coven. Death will come to you before you do. She is part of us and you will not change that."

"I would never.....she never said anything to me about a coven, or saving her. Only asked for the book. I had nothing to do with what Father Mulhee did. I'm telling you the truth."

Lance grabbed a towel from the counter and threw it at Joshua, laughing softly as the man jumped with fear.

"Clean up the mess. I will wait for you in there." he said, pointing to the den, and glided across the kitchen to the den sitting down on the couch. Joshua glanced occasionally to the stranger sitting in the lowly lit room and quickly cleaned up the mess tossing the towels into the laundry room. He carefully made his way into the den and sat down across from Lance watching as he flipped the pages of the book without lifting a finger.

"So...how did he......Father Mulhee...know so much?"

Lance cut his eyes up from the book looking at him and looked back down continuing to read.

"And if I tell you?"

He thought for a moment then shrugged, pointing to the book.

"Then I turn that over to Raven."

A cold chill ran through him as silence filled the room and he waited for any response from the stranger. He had told the truth when he said he didn't know of who she was at first, but as his conversations with Father Mulhee flipped through his mind as he read the pages of evil he knew instantly who she was. She had captivated him with her beauty and awakened feelings deep inside him that hadn't been felt since he was 18.

"She is very beautiful.....isn't she."

Joshua quickly looked up to him, jerking from his thoughts and stared into the unusual green eyes as they stared back.

"I can read your thoughts. Have been for years. You can't hide anything from me."

He closed the book setting it to the couch next to him and smiled as he folded his hands in his lap.

"You would give that book to her anyway whether I told you about the priest or not. You've fallen for her, and rather quickly I might add. Someone in your clothing should never have such desires for a woman the way you have the past few hours. Your thoughts almost made me blush."

Joshua's cheeks burned as he looked away and shifted in his chair wishing the man would hurry and leave.

"I will soon." he chuckled and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.

"Maharet was his name. He was close to being an ancient when he fell in love with Pandora."

He took a deep breath leaning back on the couch and stretched his arms out across the back on either side of him.

"Pandora, however, was married to Petradon who ruled our coven and when he discovered the affair between the two of them he became irate......went on a killing spree and became the most evil vampire in any coven. When Pandora discovered she was expecting he almost killed her, but she assured him that the child was his. He believed her and let her live, but she was locked away in the castle and was not allowed out. Feedings were brought to her to keep her nourished and alive and the servants watched over her, but she still managed to see Maharet. Vampires sire only sons, females born to a vampire are rare.....very rare....and they hold more powers than any vampire could ever dream of. Pandora had a girl and Petradon had plans to use her....use her blood to create a coven of vampires so evil that the sabbat would look like angels compared to them. Maharet kidnapped the infant girl and took her away to the ancients in Madrid. He swapped his lives for her."

Joshua's brow creased and he tilted his head letting the story sink in.

"Lives? How many lives does a vampire get?"

Lance shrugged and glanced out the window toward the moon. He still had to find a feeding for Natasha and get home to her before Christopher returned and there wasn't much time left.

"Depends. Don't piss off another vampire and you have many lives. But he gave his for them to seal her mind and keep her safe from Petradon."

He stood from the couch glancing back to the moon again and turned toward Joshua flashing his yellow eyes.

"Get that book to her.....she needs it."

Before Joshua could make a move Lance was gone.....disappearing into the night. He pinched himself checking to make sure he was awake and winced, laughing slightly, at the pain that shot through his arm when he did. He took a deep breath and running his fingers through his hair grabbing the book from the couch. He had to do what he had to do and he wasn't going to wait.

Grabbing his keys from the table he said a silent prayer and locked the door behind him as he hurriedly left the house.