The farm house is chilly. Nick had transported us to his car outside and we left to go here. Will had come by a couple hours ago, but Nick's father turned him away. It's been a very slow day. Nick's been downstairs talking to some other people that showed up after Will left. I think they're vampires. They've been on the phone with the coven for a while.

I've been upstairs in this office. There's an old wooden dresser in the corner stacked with papers and files. Beside it, is a window that overlooks the barnyard and pasture below.

Not much else is here except for a chair and lamp. It's a nice big red chair made of something velvety.

"Valerie, are you okay? Can I come in?" I hear Nick ask from the other side of the door.

"Yes."

I can hear people still talking downstairs. My boss steps inside the room with me.

"The priority right now is ensuring Colin and Will's people return safely," he says. Lighting flashes across the sky outside the window. Nick follows my stare. The lightning strikes again followed by thunder. Shortly after, I hear rain begin to pour on the roof. It's gotten really dark outside. Nick walks up to the window beside me. "I'm going to have to go back into town tonight and settle things. Will agreed to meet with me. You're welcome to come with me and we can drive into town together. "

"Actually, Nick, I'd like to get back to Stella's. I just don't feel right being away from her while Colin's missing."

"Of course, Valerie. A storm's settling in. I need to take the pigs back inside the barn. Then, I'll take you home after. How's that sound?"

"Okay! Great! Thank you."

"It might be a few minutes, but I shouldn't be long. I'll be right back."

My heart races as he touches my arm briefly before turning away to leave. Then, he heads out the door and I'm alone. I don't feel like a hybrid or a vampire. All I feel is stress. I'm sure when that subsides, if it ever does, the reality of my situation will set in more.

Poor Colin. I really want to get back home to Stella. I did let her know where I was and we had talked on the phone while my boss was downstairs talking.

For a while, I text Stella updating her more on the situation. Going off of what my boss said, I don't think Will bothered to tell us they went to the other realm. Nick did say he planned on going into town to talk to Will tomorrow. Hopefully, everyone will be back by then.

My bladder hurts. I've really had to go to the bathroom.

I push open the door and let out a holler seeing Mr. Silvet, Nick's dad, standing right on the other side of it. He looks down at me with a repressed smile. I had entirely forgotten he was here! I figured he was outside with Nick.

"Oh, it's only me. Nicky wanted me to check on you."

"He did?" I ask.

When I opened the door, it didn't seem like he intended on coming in. He was just standing there. Mr. Silvet looks down the hallway with surprise as a loud slam comes from downstairs. I wonder how old he really is as a vampire. He really does look a lot like Nick.

"What's going on up there?" I hear Nick holler. I shrink back hearing the anger in his tone. He sounds like a different person. He sounds so angry. "Dad?" he asks but it comes out more like a statement. A demand.

Nick's standing in the hallway now. He isn't wearing a shirt. Mud covers his pants and it's on his stomach. His arms. Everywhere. He isn't a thin man and he doesn't have a six pack, but behind his belly is muscle. Just like the big muscles on his arms. He isn't a model but I think he looks better than a model because he actually has meat on his bones. He looks stronger in a more natural way.

I better stop staring. I haven't been listening to what they've been saying. Have I always been this attracted, this distracted, to his physical body?

"...I was outside her door, Nicky. Valerie wasn't expecting me to be there. I didn't mean to scare her. We've got the same blood, you and I, Nicky. I'm just making sure she means well. I want her to feel welcome here. That's what family's all about."

"Right," Nick scoffs.

Looking irritated, he moves by his father to address me.

"I'm fine," I say feeling awkward, "I appreciate you checking on me. Maybe, next time you can knock!" I joke lightly.

Usually, I don't joke at all. The two men look at each other as if saying something I can't hear. I don't think they share my humor. Nick's father offers a polite smile.

"I'll be downstairs."

Nick leads me back into the room.

"Do you mind if I get a shower before we leave? I'm sure he was just trying to see what you'd do. He likes to get a rise out of people. Believe it or not, it means he likes you."

"It didn't seem like he was doing that. I thought he was eavesdropping. I mean, he was just standing there quietly outside my door for who knows how long-"

"It's okay," my boss coos in a babied tone. I blush when he gently touches the side of my head. "I'm sorry he's made you nervous, but, I'm sure I have, too. Let me get cleaned up real quick. Lock the door until I come back."

"Alright, thank you."

***

After Nick dropped me off at Stella's, I helped clean up the house. We tried to keep ourselves busy after eating take-out for dinner. She wants to let Nick and Will take care of retrieving Colin. Or, at least, she's willing to wait until tomorrow before going back to the police station.

I'm sure she's exhausted emotionally.

"Is it ever going to stop raining? It's been raining all day!" she hollers while walking into her bedroom, "First thing tomorrow, I'm headed to the station. You coming with me?"

"Yes," I answer.

Then, I go into my own room. Right now, apparently, Will and the coven are in the other realm looking for Colin. I'm surprised Will chose to go himself leaving Nick in charge. It makes me wonder if he went willingly.

Nick left out what really happened today between him and Will over the phone, but it sounds like everyone should be back tomorrow. So, as long as I think positively, I have no reason to go to bed with the feeling of impending doom.

Another thing I'm hung up on is that Nick didn't seem that worried about Regina. She's been missing this entire time, too. Nick didn't bring up her name at all today, which, doesn't sit well with me. They may no longer be together, but a decent person would still be worried about someone they once cared about intimately.

Being in Nick's childhood home made my nervous system all rattled up. I can't stop re-playing Mr. Silvet standing outside my door. It felt creepy...even if he meant no harm by it. What was he really doing?

Somehow, he scares me much more than Nick does.

With a sigh, I lay down in my bed. I have a strong feeling I'm going to have a really weird dream tonight. For a moment, I consider lighting one of Stella's candles, but I decide not to.

It's still storming outside. The wind is loud and rattles against the old siding on the house while I sift through the muddled thoughts in my head. Where my bedroom sits, it's underneath the weathervane that spins around in the wind on top of the house. I can hear it spinning in the wind. It's shaped like a crescent-moon, of course, since the coven handmade it some time long ago for Stella's mother.

Sleep carries me far away from my current problems as the wind tests the weathervane's rusted strength.

Torches cover the tall sandstone walls behind me. I step back and hide in the shadows where light doesn't give my presence away. Dust lays on the ground among some pebbles from the crumbling stone walls. I'm not wearing any shoes. My feet feel dirty.

It's not really well-lit in here. I'm not sure where I am. It's some kind of raised balcony where many men stand down below in a crowd looking up as though waiting to see something on the 'stage'. It's dark in the crowd and I can't really make out their faces. Or their words. It sounds like a different language they are speaking.

I'm not wearing normal clothes. My clothing is composed of one long thin black cloth tied around my chest. It reaches my calves.

The room smells strongly like incense. There's more torches along the walls down below where the men stand. Suddenly, the men in the crowd go quiet. Getting a bad feeling, I step back closer to the wall feeling a sense of oncoming dread.

Just then, a loud rumble resounds followed by the sound of metal groaning as something heavy is being pulled. It's a black iron-rod door to the left of the stage. Through the door, the shadow of a large man enters the space of the stage from the passageway. Behind him are around five women dressed just like me.

The man wears a cloth tied at the waist that only stretches to his knees. I can't really see his face very well. In one hand he holds the rope that all the women are tied to, and in the other, a large spiked metallic mallet dripping with something red. Unlike the women, he doesn't stand close to the torches. I can't really see his face at all, but he starts yelling at the crowd.

I don't understand what he is saying. I'm pretty sure he is attempting to sell these women to the crowd or use them as some kind of profit.

My heart hammers in my chest as he unties the ropes from their wrists one by one. A couple men climb up on the stage. The women don't seem afraid and join them down in the crowd.

Some of the women begin biting the men without any warning. One of the women looks just like Regina. Most of the crowd laughs while a few in the crowd hurry away.

As my eyes adjust to the light, I can see people in the crowd below holding goblets of what must be beer or ale. Maybe, wine.

What kind of place is this? There's no windows. It doesn't seem like there's any exit either besides the passage the women came from. I had no idea they were vampires.

Some of the men in the crowd are vampires, too. It's crazy to see them drinking each other like hormone-crazed teenagers. It's a gross free for all. They aren't just drinking each other, either. They're doing everything and anything they can get away with drunk in a dark room with a bunch of crazed people.

The man who led the women out here goes back to the center of the stage and resumes addressing the crowd in their language.

My stomach hurts really bad as the women return to the stage. Blood is smeared all over their lips and their clothing is not really on them at all anymore. Yet, they cackle amongst themselves as though enjoying the event. They point and clap as some men in the crowd mysteriously start leaving the ground and get flown in circles in the air.

They aren't just vampires. They must be witches. For some reason, I can't use my witch sight to confirm.

Eventually, the witches let the men land on the ground without hurting them. The crowd seems entertained by it all.

The man who brought the women out here begins tying up their wrists. The women trail behind him passing under the gate as the crowd applauds. I feel really sick. My stomach burns really bad. There's nowhere for me to go except the way they came out onto the stage.

I jump as something cold grips my shoulder with a bruising touch. It's the same man that brought those witches out here. I still can't really see his face at all because of how bad the lighting is in here. How did he get back out here so fast? I just saw him walk through the passage.

"Quid agis?" the man asks.

I don't know what to say because I don't understand him.

He mumbles something angrily, and then, proceeds to grab the back of my neck forcing me toward the gate he made the line of witches go through. The gate slams hard behind us. What's ahead is a narrow hallway.

Jewels on strings hang down providing a barrier to an empty room on the right side of the passage. I hear the sound of water dripping or trickling inside. He pushes me ahead of him through the entryway. When we enter the room, he lets go of me. There's a throne made of some kind of shiny material in the back of the space. In front of the throne is a huge fountain and pool. There are torches in here, as well. The room is very big. Red blankets cover the floor around the fountain among old instruments and books.

The man decides to sit on the throne. I'm not going to follow him over there. My heart won't stop hammering. Even if the fountain is pretty, this place is dark and creepy.

Looking bored, the man rests his head against a closed fist while watching the water in the fountain. Apparently, today's bizarre event out there with all those women wasn't enough entertainment for him. It's so dark in here.

I hear footsteps in the passage behind me. The man on the throne raises his hand just as I turn to look to see who is coming in the room. The next moment, my body feels very cold and I arrive right at his side. He just summoned me. This is so weird.

"Where am I?" I ask with dread. The newcomer approaches the throne with a bowed head. It looks like it's a woman. I think it's the one that looks like Regina. She is accompanied by another man. "Hello?" I try a little louder with a glare to the man in the big chair. "I'm not staying here with you. I want to go home!"

Beep, beep! Beep!

I wake up with crust covering my eyes and snot all over my pillow. My eyes feel horrible and heavy. That was probably one of the weirdest dreams I ever had. Groggy, I turn off the alarm on my phone.

"Val!" Stella hollers from the other side of the bedroom door, "You up? We gotta drive into the station!"

"Yes! Coming!"

🌜