Chapter Text
Apo had come running back to the castle after she was (predictably) kicked out of town. While her arrival was to be expected, the information she brought with her was not. The town seemed to be preparing a magic circle of some kind. It couldn't possibly be the sleeping spell as that had not needed a circle, which left the only other one I know of. A summoning circle. Where had town found that book?! And, more importantly, what in my husband's name were they summoning?!?
Though I'm very curious about what town is doing, I'll have to send someone to go check it out. Pyro probably, and Owen if I can convince him. I can't bring myself to leave his statue today, and Shelby is good company when it gets particularly depressing. Even if I can't share our stories just yet, still stings too much.
I'll check the castle for Pyro, see if he's still here. Heading into the dining room, Owen's near the beacon and he asks "How's it going?" I respond with "Good, good." We sit at the dining tabel, sitting so I can see his statue, and Shelby joins the mindless chatter. The topic shifts to town and what they're doing just as Pyro came in with Cleo and Drift.
"Oh, hello!" I greeted and he responds in kind "Oooh, you've brought guests! Perfect!" Owen looked confused and asked "Why is it perfect he brought guests?" I look at him and smile "Well we were just wondering about that circle town was making, oh and look! It's people who have inside knowledge about town!" Owen looks bashful that he hadn't thought of that with his head tilted towards the table.
"So," I say, turning towards the town people "the summoning circle towns making. Two questions what does it summon and when is it being used."
"Wha- you know it's a summoning circle?!" Drift exclaimed. "Of course he does," Cleo said, sounding unsuprised "he's an elder vampire Drift he just seems to know these things. To answer your questions the town has finished the circles preparations and will use it tonight. As for what it summons, the town is debating the translation, but the majority thinks it says angel."
My breath hitched. Angel, they think they're summoning and angel. My eyes snapped to him. What if- No don't think that, don't get your hopes up.
"An angel?" Owen said, disbelief coloring his tone "And what do they think that angel's gonna do? Help them?"
"That is town's plan, yes" Cleo responded "They summon the angel and then ask for help with the vampires, or us."
"Well, this makes my original plan that much more effective." I say snapping out of my thoughts "Pyro, can you and Owen go observe this circles activation? And before you ask, no I don't mean interrupting the circle, just watching from afar. Top of towns wall probably or the rooftops if you can't see the circle from the edge of town."
"Wha- but I wanted to mess with their circle." Owen pouted. "And" Pyro added "wouldn't its destruction be beneficial to us?"
"No, even if called by a proper ritual, most angel's are too stuck up to help those humans." I said, sounding annoyed "Trust me, I've met quite a few. Even if the nicer ones take pity on town, they'll only give advice and then they'll leave. In most angel's opinions, help is only given to 'the chosen crowd' which is condescending and idiotic."
"So we'll be fine while in town and probably get to laugh at them when it doesn't work?" Owen asked, eyes lighting up, I responded with "Yeah, you'll both be fine." "Good," he said "I've been waiting for a reason to laugh at town. I'm in." "Then I am in as well, Sire" Pyro added.
"Wait," Shelby said, awe present in her voice, "you've met angels before?! That's so cool!" I laughed at her enthusiasm "Yes Shelby, I've met angels before which means I should stay far away from town cause none of them like me very much."
Owen stared at me "You've made angels mad at your very existence? How on earth did you do that?!" I chuckled, a sound lacking any mirth, "That is a story for another day, Owen. So, with that taken care of, Cleo, Drift, do you have anything else you wish to discuss?"
"Actually, yeah" Cleo started. The discussion went on until about noon when Cleo and Drift had to head back to town.Now that the discussion was done and my plan is underway, I really just want to sit next to my loves statue and talk with Shelby. Watching the statue also gives the benefit of checking if the circle chose to summon him or not, win-win.
"Shelby," I called "I'm going to stay in the garden today. Would you like to stay and talk with me?" She seemed to light up at the thought. "Of course! I love talking with you!"
I headed towards his statue, the spells and circles inscribed in its base long scratched out and plaque removed but not replaced. Scratching those out had been such a pain, but worth it to be able to sit by his feet and not be burned. The gazebo like structure around it protected us from the sun and allowed Shelby to sit across from me on one of the built in benches.
As soon as she got settled, she asked the one question I was dreading "Scott, who's the statue of? You always seem sad when you look at it so I've been holding off asking but I really want to know."
I sighed "I was waiting for when you would finally ask. I'm not going to tell you who he is right now, but I will say that he is very important to me." "Oh," she said, bringing her knees to her chest, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories, not that someone important to you would have given you bad memories or anything, just that losing him must have hurt."
I chuckled at that, though it lacked any real warmth, "I didn't realize that I had lost him until after I woke up from my 600 year nap, so yeah its still a new ache that I'd rather not touch. I'll tell you someday alright?" Shelby nodded like she expected that answer and shifted the conversation to other things.
A while later, I noticed that night had fallen during our talks and I was hungry, so while getting up I said "Shelby, I'm going to grab some bottles of blood, do you want any?" She replied with " Sure! I'm feeling a bit peckish." Hearing that she wanted some too, I headed towards the chest that held the bottles and picked up a bunch of them.
However, while my back was turned I heard Shelby calling me. "Scott! Scott, the statue disappeared!" I rushed back over to see what she ment only to see the pedestal his statue was on empty. "What happened?!" I cried out in bewilderment and she responded with "I don't know! I looked away for a second-one second-and when I looked back the statue was gone! No light, no sound, nothing."
I was about to panic but then I remembered the circle in town and started feeling giddy. "Shelby," I said "we're heading to town, come on!" She seemed startled "But I thought you said the angels it could summon hated you, why would we head there?" I smiled "It seemes that it summoned the one in the statue. Now, come on! I want you to meet my husband!"
She exclaimed " Your what!?!"