Enid and Mitena were lying on her daughter’s bed. They had their chins in their palms and elbows against each other. Enid looked like she was elven years old at the moment. It was the only way they could fit on the bed. Mitena’s tablet was leaning against her footboard and a video of Enid in a knock down drag out super fight with a flying super-terrorist. Enid remembered the fight well. It was in May, in New York City. Reminded her of a dog fight when she was a fighter pilot. Enid pointed at the screen.

“Right there I broke four of her ribs. I was surprised she didn’t go down.”

Mitena pointed to the blue beams coming from the woman’s eyes.

“What was that mom?”

“Lasers? I don’t know armor stopped most of it, burned in about three centimeters into my chest. Hurt. I should have dodged that, got a bit cocky.”

The video now showed her and the super-terrorist struggling and fighting in midair Enid was using her knees to beat the woman. Then the woman looked at Enid’s eyes and her eyes started to flare then Enid said something and let go and the woman plummeted towards the ground.

“What did you say to her mom?”

“Oh I made her believe she couldn’t fly.”

“Did she survive the fall?”

“Ya, most of these super-terrorists have some weird durability. Makes them tougher than normal humans. I’m guessing BMC snagged her.”

Mitena started doing some math then narrowed her eyes and looked at Enid.

“Have you ever used that eye thing on me mom?”

“No, never, don’t use it on my family. I mean…if you saw something terrible, I’d consider making you forget. But I’d never use it to like…make you do homework, or whatever.”

“You promise.”

“I promise hon.”

Enid nudged Mitena with her shoulder.

“Can I be like you, Aunt Maria and Eyre when I grow up?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but you have a lot of time to decide hon, you ate the fruit of life. You’re going to age really slowly once you hit adulthood. Its kind of a mixed bag. You’d be like Violet and grandpa, no sun ever again, sleeping during the day, no kids. Why don’t you do university decide if you want a family, I mean immortality is nice and all but there is something to be said for growing old with someone you love.”

“But you had kids, and you can go in the sun.”

“I’m a very special vampire. So are your sister, and aunt.”

“Would you be the one turning me?”

“If I’m alive, sure, I’d do it if I thought you were ready.”

“What do you mean if you are alive?”

“You never know what is going to happen when the others get here hon. I won’t lie to you, this is dangerous. There is a chance you will end up living with Gladys and Allison.”

“No! You can’t go mom. I won’t let you.”

“I’m sorry hon, I have to. If I don’t everyone dies anyway. So, if the choice is, I die, or you die, I’m gonna choose me every single time. It’s what parents do.”

Mitena had tears in her eyes now. Enid pulled her close and hugged her tightly.

“Oh sweetheart, I’m sorry this is happening. I don’t want to do it but there is no choice. You’ll understand one day if you have children. It is what your mother did.”

“Why does it have to be you?”

“I am the only one who can use the sword it will kill anyone else.”

“Why did you pick it up?”

“Honestly? I wanted the power it would give me. I was young and foolish. Now I am paying the price for my hubris.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I had so much pride in myself I didn’t consider the cost. I just wanted power.”

“If you had a choice to pick it up or not over again, would you?”

“Yes, but not for power, but because it’s going to let me save the world and you little warrior.”

Enid poked Mitena’s nose.

“I’m not little anymore.”

“You will always be my little girl. Just ask Eyre.”

Mitena giggled.

“She looks older than you mom.”

“But she’s still my daughter, like you, even if you don’t choose to change, even when you’re old and gray, and have fifteen grandkids, I’m still going to call you my little warrior.”

Mitena blushed.

“Mom I love you.”

“I love you too shorty.”

“I’m almost as tall as you now mom.”

“Ya you did have that growth spirt. That’s what I get for being a tiny hmm?”

“Is Allison coming over for Christmas?”

“Yes, and her mom.”

“Yay!”

“So, what do you want to watch next?”

“Can we play a game?”

“We can do anything you want. Go get a game.”

“How about a video game?”

“I guess we could.”

Mitena bounced up and ran towards the movie room and had everything turned on by the time Enid got there with the snacks and drinks. She kept herself in the shape of an eleven-year-old version of herself. Mitena looked at Enid.

“Thanks mom.”

*****

Enid sat at the head of the table looking over the assembled humans and vampires. It was still daytime, so Violet and Angus were missing from the table. They had had that family dinner last night with blood. It was just Allison, Gladys, Eyre, Mitena, and Maria. Eyre had cooked a large Christmas dinner with all the fixings. She was currently slicing the turkey. Gladys was looking over the table.

“This looks delicious.”

Enid smiled.

“Eyre was a chef before she was a singer.”

Eyre blushed. Gladys looked between the pair.

“Does it every bother you that you look so much younger than your daughter?”

“You get used to it. Eyre is…older than she looks too.”

“She had her, was it sixth great grandchild? At 99.”

Eyre nodded.

“Wow. So, this is your…seven hundredth Christmas together.”

“Something like that.”

“No, six hundred is more like it.”

“Yes, Eyre is right.”

“What is it like having a mother-daughter relationship that old?”

“Pretty much like having one that is twenty years old. She’s still a brat, I’m still an old cranky woman.”

Mitena giggled. Gladys smiled at the pair.

“I’m just, just wow, so amazed. There is so much love in this home.”

“My adoptive father taught me that family is the most important thing in the world. I forgot that for a while, but Eyre reminded me.”

Eyre smiled and took the turkey into the kitchen leaving a plate of carved turkey ready to be passed around Enid moved to pick up the turkey, but Maria gave a small clear of her throat.

“Enid, please say grace.”

Enid frowned.

“You go ahead.”

“No, you’re the daughter of God, I think he wants you too.”

Enid wrinkled her nose in Maria’s direction. Maria showed her the palm with the scar on it and Enid rolled her eyes and offered her hands.

“God thank you for the love in this home and at this table. Bless this food we are about to eat. We thank you for letting us share this Christmas before we fight the war. Amen”

Enid glanced at Maria who nodded.

“Can we eat now ‘mom’?”

Maria touched her crucifix and a smile crept across her black lips.

“Yes, we may eat.”

“You’re pulling the may thing now?”

“Enid, if it is worth saying, it is worth saying right. It is rude to do otherwise.”

Enid stabbed a piece of turkey and moved it to her plate, she grabbed a second piece and passed it to Allison. Gladys looked like she was in heaven.

“This is amazing Eyre.”

Eyre smiled.

“Just don’t let my mother cook.”

Allison looked confused.

“She’s an awesome cook.”

Eyre shook her head.

“She can’t even boil water.”

Mitena started giggling. Eyre started looking around the table. Enid looked down at her food didn’t make eye contact.

“Mitena what is so funny?”

“I can’t say.”

“I will tickle you until you talk later.”

“No!!”

“No one can resist tickle torture.”

“Okay, Okay, mom cooks bad when you’re around, so you’ll cook instead of her.”

“Mom!”

“I confirm nothing.”

“You kept that going for forty years! You devious…”

“I have no idea what you are all talking about.”

Gladys laughed in spite of her attempts to avoid it. Allison mouthed I’m sorry to Enid.

“Mom…you’re evil.”

“I thought that was a parent’s job.”

“Oh…my…God.”

Enid smiled as she continued to look at her food.

“You’re lucky you’re such a good mom otherwise.”

“Well technically our ID says that you’re the mom.”

“In that case you’re grounded for the rest of your life young lady.”

“Does that mean I don’t have to go lead the battle?”

Eyre sighed.

“Wait, no, you’re not grounded, I’m taking away your book collection.”

The rest of the table started to laugh as the pair bantered back and forth. Enid looked at Gladys.

“You see what I’ve been dealing with for six hundred years?”

Gladys smiled coughed as she’d been laughing too hard. Enid looked back to Eyre.

“What about Maria her ID says you’re her mother too, she never cooks. What punishment does she get?”

“She gets a pass because she takes spice advise from an obnoxious child ghost. Six ghost peppers in a can of tomato soup?”

Enid laughed.

“I thought your face was going to explode it got so red.”

Maria smiled. Eyre chuckled.

“Okay it as a good prank. I couldn’t taste anything until my tongue healed that night.”

“I am sorry about that Eyre. I should not have trusted Ethel.”

“It is okay Aunt Maria. At least it was Mitena.”

Enid frowned.

“If it had been I would have badgered Ezekiel until he took me to the dead lands so I could spank her.”

Enid smiled and looked at Mitena who was eating and had this ear-to-ear grin on her face as she looked around the table at her family. Mitena saw Enid looking at her and met her gaze. Enid could see how happy she was just to be here and accepted. Enid winked at her then back to the table.

“I have had a special request from my youngest that we play a board game after supper. Maria, she even said that Ethel was welcome to join us and that you could roll for her.”

Maria glanced to her right.

“Would you like to play Ethal?”

Maria seemed to be listening to a response.

“Ethel says she would, also that she would never do anything to hurt Mitena.”

*****

Enid sat on the edge of Mitena’s bed rubbing her back gently. Mitena was just barely asleep. She saw Gladys leaning on the doorframe.

“You’re both coming home with us tomorrow?”

Enid nodded.

“Are you sure? She is really happy here, I think she’ll miss her Aunt and sister.”

“Its not safe here. No one knows about you and Allison. It’s the safest place for her. I have angered a lot of very dangerous people. They could kill a human by sneezing in their direction. I need her as far away from here as possible.”

“Enid, thank you for having us over. I thought this Christmas was going to be the worst of my life, but your family, you helped fill a void I would have had.”

“I’m so glad you could come for Christmas Eve too.”

“Your family must come to my house for New Years.”

“Well, I’m in, I love your cooking reminds me of home.”

Gladys blinked.

“You’re from Scotland!”

“Aye ma’am.”

“Where were you born?”

“Do you know the ruins of Kinlockleven Castle?”

“I do, I went there many times as a young girl... and snuck in as a teenager. It was a good place for doing what you didn’t want your parents to see.”

“My tribe lived there.”

“In the castle?”

“Oh no, the castle came centuries afterwards. No, we had round houses. My father, Angus, was chieften.”

“You must have seen the world change so much in your life.”

Enid shrugged.

“Yes. I was rather surprised when I saw a castle when I was sent to the area for something.”

“So, you saw it as a village, then a castle, then castle ruins?”

“Yes.”

“So you must have seen that happen a lot.”

“Yes, I remember having an argument with my adoptive father in front of the coliseum right after it was finished. Cracked a stone tile, crack is still there today.”

“Say, that rock by Kinlockleven Castle…there are some deep runes carved in it.”

“That was me and my mother.”

Gladys smiled.

“I always wondered what they meant.”

“Basically, it was linked hearts, or our version of it, one for her and one for me. We were saying would be bound forever.”

Gladys watched Enid, who was looking down at Mitena with sadness in her eyes. After several moments of silence she spoke again.

“I know my daughter has grown into an amazing woman, I’m just not sure…why her?”

Enid shrugged.

“Well…I honestly… She asked me out and I thought she was cute.”

“That’s all?”

“I haven’t dated anyone…ever. And the last time I had a…well partner was Eyre’s father.”

“That long?”

Enid shrugged.

“I had issues I won’t get into, but I had been going to therapy by then. I don’t know, she’s just amazing. She makes me a better person and I honestly wish I could grow old with her.”

“I’m so glad she found you. She’s been very depressed.”

Enid bit her lower lip but didn’t say anything. She couldn’t risk it.

“I’m glad I found her. I was missing a partner.”

Enid’s phone started to buzz and she looked at it. It was Deloriss.

“Sorry I need to take this.”

*****

Enid had her arms crossed as she was looking at the infiltrator that Deloriss’s people had captured and chained with silver. She glanced up at Deloriss.

“You’ve done well.”

“Thank you, Empress.”

It was a woman. She still had a stake in her chest. Enid guessed eastern European which made sense considering Prague was the Imperial city. She lifted the vampire’s chin looking for any familiarity she might find there but she didn’t recognize her.

“Was there anyone else?”

“There were but they were destroyed in the fight.”

“Well, she’ll do. Did you question her yet?”

“No Empress, I left that honor to you.”

“Pull the stake out.”

Deloriss pulled the stake out and the vampire started struggling immediate only to feel her flesh sizzle as she pressed against the silver chains. She screamed in pain. Enid let her settle down. Then lifted the vampire’s chin.

“Easy or hard way.”

“Fuck you pretender!”

“Hard way it is.”

Enid reached into her bag and pulled out Bloodseeker. Deloriss and her assembled guard and council edged away from her. Enid touched Bloodseeker to the woman’s cheek the skin sizzled and cracked and started grow black veins as Bloodseeker began to drain her blood and essence. The vampire screamed and screamed. Enid kept Bloodseeker’s thirst in check finally pulling the sword away ash and flesh fell away from the cheek showing muscle underneath.

“So now that you’re scarred for the rest of your life, and know what the hard way entails, would you like to apologize and move to the easy way?”

“The true ruler and the council will end you!”

Enid looked at Deloriss and shrugged. Enid slid the blade into the vampire’s thigh piercing the flesh this time. The vampire started to scream again as her thigh began to shrivel. Again, Enid held the swords hunger in check only letting it take enough essence to cripple the leg then pulled the blade out. Enid crouched leaning on Bloodseeker.

“You know, I could just make you tell me, but the fact you’re working against me kind of pissed me off. You have two choices as I see it at this point: Tell me everything you know and I feed you some blood and we heal these wounds, then Deloriss stakes you until the battles over. Or I break your will completely and drain your soul leaving a desiccated husk.”

She met the woman’s gaze, and she could see terror in her eyes. She was resisting some sort of compulsion.

“What will it be?”

“I…will…not tell you anything bitch!”

“Wrong answer.”

Enid grabbed her chin with her free hand and forced her to meet her gaze.

“I release you from all compulsions, I am your merciful and loving Empress you want to serve me willingly.”

The woman’s face went blank and then brightened when she saw Enid’s face again.

“How may I serve you Empress?”

“You’re injured, take some of my blood so you can be healed.”

“You are so merciful Empress.”

Enid bit her palm and held it to the vampire’s lips, and she started to gulp it down. The wounds inflicted by Bloodseeker started to mend and heal. Enid pulled her palm away and let it heal. Enid met her gaze again.

“Now, child, I sent you to spy for me, then made you forget so you would be a better infiltrator. Made you believe you served the council. What have you found out?”

“They will attack on the evening of the twenty-seventh.”

“Who will child?”

“The army.”

“Oh? Who is leading them?”

“Gaius.”

“Of course, he is. So, child. How many vampires does he have?”

“Seventy.”

“Very good. Child, you are going to go back to where you were staying, sleep for the day and when you wake you’re going to report that the city is in complete disorder. You have discovered my seers are rebelling and the wolf-born have fled the city to avoid the battle. You’re going to forget this meeting and remember a successful night of spying, until you had a close call, but escaped but the rest of your cell got wiped out. Alright?”

“Yes Empress.”

“Thank you, child.”

Enid loosened the chain and let her go. She wandered off and Deloriss’s men opened the door for her. Deloriss stared at Enid.

“Empress, if you could do that why did you…torture her first?”

“I needed to force her to fight the compulsion. It made it easier to break.”

“I see.”

“Deloriss, your creator was lax in his training of you. Being a vampire is as much an art as a science. Sometimes our abilities are not the best way to handle a situation. Depending on them is a crutch. Her behavior was a symptom of compulsion, but it could have just as easily been her being a fanatic. The torture showed me the truth. I am rarely cruel for cruelty’s sake these days.”

“Will you teach me?”

“Eyre might. I will be dealing with other matters for a long time, and it might be best if you don’t wait.”

“Thank you, Empress, how would you like us to set up the defense? I do not have seventy vampires left after the attacks, but we will do what we can.”

“Deloriss, what I need you to do is keep your people away from the battle. I will figure something out.”

“Are you sure Empress? We want to serve.”

“Some of the people helping me do not like your kind. So, its best if you keep your distance and don’t become targets.”

Deloriss nodded.

*****

Enid poked Maria’s shoulder. Maria looked up from her bible and smiled at Enid. Enid hopped over the back of the couch and landed beside her sister.

“Maria, you know that spell you had, the one that you said was dangerous and a last resort?”

“Oh yes. I cannot condone using that.”

“I need it.”

“Enid! You…will kill yourself.”

“I’d rather kill myself then have our people die. I can handle it.”

“Blood magic is forbidden; We have already used so much.”

“Blood magic is not forbidden. Do you know how I know?”

“How?”

“Remus is dead and I’m Empress and I say that in certain authorized cases blood magic is okay.”

“So, you are changing the laws to suite your needs.”

“Yep, dad did it all the time, except when he thought the council would disagree.”

“Enid the council will disagree.”

“I no longer recognize them as a lawful authority. They serve the Black Son, so have betrayed their duty. Also, as Empress I have veto authority and I’m using it. Spell please?”

Maria shook her head and lifted her Atlantean tablet and searched for it and handed Enid the tablet.