"I've been expecting you witch",Brandon said as the woman appeared behind him.
Jezebel drew her cloak tightly around her bright hair so it wouldn't be seen. She stared coldly at the vampire, distaste evident in her expression.
"I came as soon as I got your signal",she said. "What went wrong? I thought I made it clear to you to bring me a drop of her blood. Without it, I can't figure out what she is".
"Do you think I didn't try?",Brandon retorted angrily. "I can't touch her blood".
"What do you mean?",Jezebel asked with a frown.
"When I pricked her arm, her blood burned me",Brandon said. His voice still held a trace of unbelief. "It felt like I dipped my skin in a pool of acid. It completely charred my claw".
Jezebel began to pace slowly. She was right. The girl wasn't human. Right from when Riven found her at the ocean, she had been thinking a lot. How could a human survive the terrible waves of the ocean for many days? If what Lord Brandon told her was true, and that the girl escaped a few weeks ago, it meant she tried to kill herself by drowning. And forces of nature directed her to Riven because she was his mate. It also meant her body stayed in the ocean for days before surfacing at the shores of Riven's territory. And yet she was alive. She was definitely not a human because a human wouldn't survive what she survived.
"Well don't just stand there",Brandon growled at her. "Do something. A witch as strong as you should know what she is".
Jezebel resisted the urge to snap at the vampire. "Since you failed in bringing her blood",she said icily. "There's only one thing left to do".
"And that is?",Brandon asked angrily, furious with the witch for reminding him he failed in bringing the girl's blood.
"We have to find her mother",Jezebel said.
"Her mother is dead",Brandon spat out.
"Is that what Maria told you?",Jezebel asked with a mocking smile on her face.
"You mean that damn witch lied?",Brandon asked furiously. He wished he hadn't killed Maria. He could have enjoyed torturing her for lying to him.
"You do know witches never really die",Jezebel said and folded her arms in front of her chest. "Just like the lycanthropes, we can live for centuries if we choose to".
"How would the mother help us in finding out what she is?",Brandon asked.
Jezebel rolled her eyes in annoyance. Were vampires really that dumb?
"Her mother is the only one who knows what her child is. If we find her, the girl would definitely want to see her precious mother. Then we strike".
Brandon was lost in thought for a while. The witch's plan could work. The girl had no idea her mother was still alive. If she were to find out, nothing would keep her from wanting to see her mother. Not even Riven.
"How do you intend to search for her mother?",he asked the witch. "We don't even know if she's somewhere in this damn island".
"When the rebel witches failed in overthrowing the lycanthropes from ruling the realm, they all scattered into the human world",Jezebel said. "Her mother was one of them. And it would only be a matter of time before I find her".
"And if she doesn't agree to come with you?", Brandon asked. He needed to make sure there were no loose ends.
"What mother wouldn't want to see her long lost daughter?",Jezebel asked with an evil glint in her eyes. "Leave it to me. I will find her".
"What must I do until then?",Brandon asked. He couldn't let Riven find out he was still in the island.
"Return to the human world and continue with your disguise",Jezebel said. "I will send you a sign when I've found the girl's mother".
Jezebel disappeared immediately, leaving Brandon standing on the deserted land alone.
"Lord Brandon?",Vladimir called uncertainly.
"Hoist the anchor Vlad",Brandon said. "And lower the mast. We return to the human world tonight".
"Yes Lord Brandon",Vladimir said and retreated. Brandon remained on the deserted land, arms folded as he waited for his ship to be ready to sail. He was more intrigued by the strange girl and he could feel his blood sizzling with anticipation.
He would have the girl. And not even Riven would stop him.
...
That same night at the mansion, a cloaked figure moved in the darkness towards the dungeons. It stopped a few distance away, observing the shifters who were patrolling on guard. The figure moved its arms in a circular motion and it disappeared. But not totally. It was merely invisible.
The soft earth dipped as the invisible figure walked towards the dungeons and passed through the gates. The shifters who were in their wolf form stilled, sniffing the air and trying to figure out the strange smell that suddenly came with the air. They didn't see the cloaked figure as it moved deeper into the dungeons.
The figure walked through the numerous cell rooms until it got to the last one where Cara remained chained. She had grown so weak that she couldn't raise her head when the silver bars of the gate to her cell was opened.
The figure became visible and pulled back the hood of the cloak. It was a woman. She waved her hands and the chains holding Cara loosened, dropping Cara's body heavily on the ground.
"Open your eyes she-wolf",the woman said.
Cara struggled to open her heavy eyelids and looked up at the strange woman standing before her. She didn't look normal. She had hair the colour of grass and her eyes shone like the sun. Cara's eyes rested on her exposed pointed ears and she realized what the woman was.
An elf.
"Get up",the elf said. "Your father awaits you".
"My father?",Cara whispered. She thought her father abandoned her here until Riven decided to release her.
"Yes. We have no time. We must hurry",the elf said and helped Cara on her feet. She cast the spell again and she disappeared along with Cara. Invisible to the eyes of the shifters, they moved outside the dungeon and began to walk away.
Cara paused and turned to the mansion, her eyes moving up to Riven's room. A dark emotion flashed in her eyes as she turned away. This wasn't over, she thought. She would make sure the human paid for what she went through in the hands of Riven.
An hour later, Alpha Dave met them at the edge of his pack.
"Did you encounter any problem?", he asked as he took his daughter away from the elf.
"Not at all Alpha",the elf said. "But I must leave now. Before my absence is discovered".
"Thank you for your help",Alpha Dave said just as the elf disappeared again.
"Father..."
"Not now Cara",Alpha Dave cut her short. "The reason why I helped you escaped is because I have an important assignment for you".
"Does it involve getting rid of Riven's mate?",Cara asked darkly.
"It certainly does".