Chapter 4: Oh Bling, Oh Ring

Of every head of the coven, a family must have an enchantment room. In here, they would conjure spells, practice magic, be one with the elements and offer sacrifices. To think of how many years this coven has strived, a lot of living things must have been sacrificed here. No harm intended, but violence was never to my likings, even when I hunt I try as much as possible to give my prey a merciful death. 

The room was half dark, and half-light.

"I will need a specific item, Clarke. Something that is of value to you, one you share a sentimental feeling. That way the magic is stronger and it will not fail you easily." Uncle told me.

I looked at my grandfather's ring, it was a gift from him on my twelfth birthday. He said it was family heirloom and that I should keep it with me at all times, he personally customized it with my name's initials. 'C.A.R.'

I know it sounds like a machine, but it's actually Clarke Andrea Rayleigh. I took the ring off and gave it to Uncle Heinrich.

"Now, I will have to ask you to go out."

My parents and I was on our way to the door when he stopped us.

"Not you, Mikelle and Genevieve. You need to stay. A cloaking enchantment is not easily conjured, I must take your desires to protect your daughter, that way it would lock on with the ring and whatever happens, a part of both of you will stay with her, the people who undoubtfully cares about Clarke."

I guess I'm the only one who needs to get out of here then. I softly smiled at them and closed the door.

With Frederick assisting Uncle, I was left alone to wander around the house, and what better way to kill the time than to read books. So, my main target was finding the library. After a few dead-ends, I finally found what I was looking for. There's no surprise, the library was huge as well. I trailed my hands on the hard-bound books. Novels, grimoires, Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson.

Wait, what? The Emily Dickinson? She hid most of her poems until the day she died, but looking at this book, holding it, it feels like everything she had written is in here. It's a lot, there were still poems of her that I haven't read yet, I never knew about its existence until now. I quickly opened the book and the pages were amazing, you know that scent of old books? This one has it, that one familiar scent of home, of comfortability, of coffee in the early morning while it's raining. I stopped on a particular poem, one I've read over and over again.

I'm Nobody! Who are you?

Are you – Nobody – too?

Then there's a pair of us!

"A fan of Emily Dickinson, I presume." A cold voice from behind me said.

"I am, her works are amazing."

"Indeed" he shortly replied. "I'm surprised you weren't the least shocked when you heard me, some people tend to flinch when I speak."

"I'm not most people Jared, besides I heard your steps earlier."

"Hmm, you are quite interesting Your Grace, although you surely do live a different life." He said as he was trying to read me with his eyes.

His hazel eyes that reflected the earth.

"I wouldn't try to read me Red, you'll lose your mind trying to understand mine."

He chuckled ever so lightly. I swear I've never heard of someone with such an amazing laugh.

"No one has ever called me Red my entire life Your Highness, but if the Queen so desire to call me that, then I will make sure that you are the only person who calls me Red."

"You are so big with formalities, aren't you?" I smiled. "Please call me Andrea. That way we only call each other something not much known to other people."

"I'm assuming, this is us, being friends?" he asked, a small hint of fear with the question. Why would he be scared?

"Friends." I held my hand out so we can shake hands, and gladly he accepted.

"Getting comfy with the hybrid, brother?" a sneering voice asked.

"Jessica, You are not in any place to call her that" Red said with a warning tone.

"It's okay, I'm not really offended by it." I intervened.

"See, brother? The abomination does not get offended easily." She talks again, trying to get into my nerves.

"Enough sister!"

"What? I am right though. If her parents never had her, the covenant would not be ashamed to serve the Rayleigh family, now I am disgusted to even see them here." Jessica continued.

"I would curse the day your parents had met if I could."

And there she said it, those words. I would never bother pay attention to her if she insulted me, but she didn't. She insulted my parents, my wolf begged to come out to tear her limbs and my vampire powers are getting out of control. It's taking all of my self-control to not burst right now. My jaw clenching trying not to let out my fangs, hands fisted so my claws would not come out.

"Your parents are the creator of an abomination, a curse which all of the clans suffer. They should be dead."

I have had it.

I have really had it.

I used my speed and strength to push her to the wall, rage all over me. A thin line deciding if I should rip her head off her wretched shoulders.

"There she is, there's the monster she so deeply tried to hide. But no matter how long your patience is, you will always be a monster. You are born a monster, you will die a monster."

"Then you will bear witness what a monster I truly am."

I choked her harder. She mumbled a spell, but it did nothing to me. Red ran out of the door to call for help and to Jessica's luck, my parents arrived.

"Clarke, stop this right now." My mother pleaded.

"She insulted you. She deserves to suffer."

"I'm sure she never meant any harm Clarke, so please darling, let her go." My father said.

"Whatever it is that Jessica said, in behalf of her, I apologize Clarke. I'm her father, punish me instead."

Uncle Heinrich's words had me. I could feel him, how he loves his children. The same way my parents feel. So I had let her go, my old senses coming back to me.

"I'm sorry. I am." I said as I walked away.

I ran into the river stream hoping to have a peace of mind. The birds and the water's sound echoed in sync. It was beautiful, it was calming. After a few moments, I managed to be calm. I decided to stay here for a bit longer, ashamed of how the way I acted upon. Jessica was right, I am a monster. Even when I desperately try to be good.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Heinrich. I didn't mean to hurt her." I said as he approached.

"And I'm sorry too, Jessica's behavior towards you is a disappointment for me, maybe I failed as a father." He softly said, sadness in his tone.

"No Uncle, it's not your fault. By the way I see it, you're an amazing parent. I should have controlled my temper. I promise you I'll try to be better Uncle."

"You don't have to pressure yourself, little one. Being you is hard, I hardly know any of your suffering but I know that it has been difficult for you. And I know you are deeply trying so hard to be better."

"I don't know how hard it took you to forgive me for hurting your family Uncle, but thank you."

"It wasn't hard dear child, you are young, you make mistakes, but you also learn from it, so forgiveness is easy."

"We should be going, I don't want to cause any more trouble, besides the day is almost over. Goodbye Uncle."

"Before you do leave, your ring, I forgot to bring it, it's still in the mansion. Surprisingly, the enchantment work. Now I don't know if you've noticed but you're actually invulnerable to magic. Jared told me earlier that Jessica was casting a death spell, but it didn't work on you as did the enchantment I conjured when you were a babe, it was supposed to hide your powers but it just didn't work. I do believe that the ring might, after all, the magic is in the object and not casted to you. You are extraordinary Clarke, stay being good and work hard to master your powers."

"I will Uncle, we better get going."

Uncle sent Frederick to get my ring from the enchantment room, meanwhile my mom and dad are talking to him. Jessica is nowhere to be found which is kind of good. But I still need to apologize. Maybe she's still in the library.

It was easier to walk there now that I'm a bit familiar with the place.

"Jessica, are you there?"

No response whatsoever.

"Look, I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you, I should have controlled myself better."

"Please, don't apologize." It was Jared who came out of the library.

"Even though I shared my Mom's womb with her, she can still be too much sometimes. We should be the one to apologize."

"No, it's okay. Let's not dwell back on this again."

"I'm sorry to ask this, I know it's none of my business but where's your Mom? It's just that I haven't seen her for the whole day we had been here."

"She uhm. She. She died."

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's fine, it's a long time ago."

There was a long silence after that. I didn't know what to say either.

"I see that you were about to leave so I went here and got you Emily Dickinson's book. You seemed to like it so I thought I would give this to, to apologize for how my sister acted." He broke the silence.

Excitement and happiness flooded all over my system because of Emily's book.

"You didn't have to, Red." I smiled at him.

"Please take it, it's the least thing I could do." He insisted.

"Thank you, I have to go. It was nice meeting you."

"Goodbye, Andrea." He gave me a soft smile and bowed his head a little.

I met Frederick on my way outside, so he gave me the ring. I went straight to the car and patiently waited for my parents.

I was scared to wear the ring, what if the trackers still find me? But Uncle was very sure that the enchantment worked, so I brought the best in me to be brave and wore it. There was a quick light on the ring but it immediately disappeared. All three of them outside looked at my direction and was shocked. They ran to me smiling, they said they couldn't feel me, they couldn't sense my powers. They couldn't smell my scent. I was like a regular human. I can still use my powers but my scent is disguised the same as a human.

I couldn't be happier. Finally, I can stop being scared.