Chapter 24: Chapter 24

“Doris… get…Doris.” I said between gasps of air.

Atlas wasted no time as his eyes glazed over.

“What happened?” Axel asked, rubbing my hair away from my face.

I finally caught my breath enough to tell them the vampire had called out to me somehow. Doris busted through the bedroom door, her nighty swaying with her steps.

“Talk to me, child.” my hands shook when I took her shoulders firmly.

“Can people who have visions be contacted by other people through those visions?” I butchered my question but prayed she understood what I needed to know.

“Were you called upon?” that wasn’t the answer I was expecting, but it was an answer, nonetheless.

“Alistair pulled me to an area in the territory gap. I would have thought it was a dream if it hadn’t been for the wolf shadows.” I could see the questions turning in her mind.

“Wolf shadows?” she asked like I was the crazy one. She told me to let the shadows guide and protect me.

“Yes? Doris, are you awake, honey? The damn vampire called me to him. He threatened the pack if we didn’t turn the mark over. He showed me a drawing of the mark again. It looks just like the one I scribbled down.” Her little feet started patting against the floor as she paced at the foot of the bed.

“Your shadow guides are… wolves?” I felt like I was going to explode.

“YES, NANA!” the twins said in unison, making her jump.

“Oh, hush, boys. Harley, I have had visions my entire life. My shadow guides are black smudge puddles. There is no form there. No one has ever seen me inside of a vision either.” she tapped her chin, pacing to and from.

“He didn’t see me the first time. The second time he told me he was waiting for me.” Axel and Atlas both erupted with vicious growls.

“Did he touch you, Harley?” Axel exploded.

“NO! What are you even talking about? Enough! Everybody to the office!” I said, standing up on the bed and walking across it.

I grabbed Doris’s hand, who was still in her own headspace and pulled her to the elevator with me. Once back in the nest of my chaos, I grabbed my scribble, slamming it down in front of a half-asleep Denny.

“Does this look familiar to you?” he picked the paper up, turning it to every angle he could to get a different view of the mark.

“No, is it familiar to you?” Yes. But do I tell them that?

“No… Yes… maybe. I don’t know. It feels familiar like I have seen it one hundred times, but I can’t place where or how I have seen this thing.” I grumbled, looking at the paper like it could tell me where it was. The sun had risen, and I was still looking at this damn paper when Doris brought me some coffee.

“Don’t kill these boys when they come and tell you what is happening tomorrow because, with all of the insanity happening around here, we all forgot about it.” my eyes shot wide, and fear prickled under my skin.

“Come on in, tell the girl.” She yelled aloud at the closed door. It cracked slightly as the twins and Denny came in looking pale and sheepish.

“What?” I asked, still fearful something terrible was happening.

“The mating ball is being held here tomorrow… we have contractual obligations to hold it this year.” Denny said, looking at the twins.

“Okay?” I said, feeling excited. I have been to two and had a great time both times. I don’t understand what the big deal is.

“You aren’t mad?” Atlas asked.

“Mad?? No!” I love mating balls. The food and dancing. It’s always a great time. Besides, the pack could use a distraction with everything going on around here. I said, pulling the book back into my lap, but it did not have what I was looking for. I got to my feet, tiptoeing to the bookcase and looking through it.

“What do you say?” Axel asked with a smile.

“Yeah, sure!” I said with my best smile, not knowing what I agreed to.

Axel and Atlas left the room with Denny on their heels.

“You have no idea what you just agreed to.” Doris laughed, pulling the sketch into her own hand.

“Not a clue. Wanna fill me in?” I asked, pulling a few books off the shelf and returning to my coffee.

“You agreed to be their date for the ball.” She chuckled.

“I DID WHAT?” Damn, my zoning out. I really need to work on that!

“Oh, close your mouth, child. They are your mates, after all.” She has a point but what if they…

“What if they… want to?…” I asked, rubbing my fingers together.

“Mate? Do you want to?” She asked lightly.

I let that question simmer in my mind for a while. I picked up another book hanging by the tether of time. Doris flopped back on the couch with her eyes rolling back in her head. I panicked, yelling for Axel and Atlas.

“I need help. Doris is having a seizure!” I screamed as they walked through the door. Atlas ran to the desk, grabbed a notepad and pen, put them in her hands, and my jaw dropped when she started scribbling.

“Calm down, little bird. She is having a vision.” Axel said, rubbing my head.

Denny returned with a wet washcloth and a cold bottle of water, and within a few minutes, she came around. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her rosy cheeks were sheet white. She handed me the notepad.

“I didn’t know you spoke Latin!” I said, fearful that I sounded offensive.

“I don’t, child. What does it say?” I carefully read the perfect lettering. c*****g my head in confusion.

“At creation’s doorstep is where all of the darkness dwells.

To enter the doorway, you must cross the bark of twelve.

Here lies the one you are eager to seek.

Do not cross over without the moon to lead.

The mark will be the one who leads the brave to fight.

Once all that is unknown has come to light.

At the back of the chosen will be the answers you need.

But the hope of the future still lies with the seed.”

Cross the bark of twelve?… twelve trees made the portal in the gap territory.

“Great, another riddle,” Denny said, running his fingers through his hair, making it more disheveled.

“The portal from my vision was constructed from the binding and twisting of twelve trees. The damn thing literally looked like a glimmering fishbowl. I have no idea what the rest means, though.” I said, biting my nails.

“It means all hell is about to break loose. I have never seen so much b***d and chaos in my life,” Doris said, with the washcloth still covering her eyes.

“Then we just need to make sure we’re ready,” Axel said more confidently than I felt. But he is right.

We have to be ready when the time comes; when it does, we will be victorious.