CHAPTER 3. THE PARTY

On the quiet suburbs of Willow Creek, a different kind of gathering is taking place. The massive modern house of the Landry family was filled with peculiar characters. No food was found but there were many people. Men and women aimlessly dance to the music playing, a live band was singing jazz while guests feast on their prey. 

Fleur stood in the middle of the room looking at everyone with distaste. She did not want to come here to this small town, she just wants to live a normal life. In reality, this is what normal is for her kind. Lavish parties, booze, and drugs. She doesn't even know why they bother when the blood of the people they lured here is more than enough to give them the high that they need. But her family, they are formidable the Landry clan headed by her father Damas has wanted power and wealth all their lives. It's not as if living for 120 years is not enough to make them filthy rich, her father wanted more and he has set his eyes on the Vlad family the powerful immortal clan that hailed from Romania. They are known to be vicious, powerful and their family has been members of the council. They are the pride of the immortal clans because they were the ones who led the battles against Lycans and werewolves and they never stop, they have been ravaging different cities and towns all over the world to create territories and drive away if not persecute all Lycans and werewolves remaining. They are on to their quest to not only make the filthy wolves extinct but they want to make vampires vow down to them, they are the superior race, after all, they can procreate and we are undying, thus their name and they are faster, stronger, and smarter, but all this does not interest her. 

Technically she's 17 in the human world but she has been alive for 85 years. They age at a very slow rate and at the age of 25 to 35 they stop aging that's what makes it challenging for them. They need to move from town to town so people will not get suspicious of them, but moving here is the end game for her father and the Vlads, this is a town small enough that with our numbers they can control everyone and maybe become a place where they can settle down. However, this place ironically is also a stronghold of the strongest tribe of Lycans as told by their elders. Fleur is tired of running away every time she finds a place that she loves, as a child, she would always be dragged around from one place to another and she doesn't want to go to war anymore. 

She's had her fair share of battles, her family has been bestowed by gifts other than being an immortal that already entails unnatural, speed, agility, and power. She has the power to stop time and that has been very beneficial in the wars that they have conquered. They were able to take a hold of New Orleans because of her ability. They were formerly held by a group of vampires but now they are nothing but slaves to her cousins that are running the city now. She can still vividly remember all the blood and slaughter that has happened, even the young ones were not spared. She's still relatively young and she knows her powers will still improve, but she doesn't want to fight anymore. 

Fleur let out a sigh as she slumps down on a sofa, looking at the scene before her. Her uncle feasted on a blonde and brunette. Everybody preying on the weak humans. Immortals like them can lure anyone with their beauty and control powers. It gets tiring sometimes.

"There you are..." An extremely handsome man with 6-foot tall brunette hair, chiseled jaw, and an air of arrogance about him whispered to her ears. Fleur's back straightened as he heard his voice. 

"Ezra, I see you made it here after all." Fleur flatly said.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, my princess." He said smiling mockingly at her.

"So, what can I do for you?" she answered, deflecting on his show of affection.

"Nothing. I came here just to see you once again, the wonder girl of the Landrys'. You are such exquisite beauty up close. You know I was busy in battle at New Orleans so I did not get to take a good look at you. You did great with your time freezing skills. That was exceptional, I wonder what other exceptional thing you can do?" He said raising a brow as he looked at her up and down.

"And you really are an asshole as they say," she said smiling back at him.

He was right behind her suddenly and grabbed her by her ponytail, "You're feisty, I like it." he said licking her ear.

She turned to him and pushed him. He flew from across the room hit the wall. The crowd fell silent for a moment and Ezra stood up laughing. Everyone laughed with him.

"Crazy fuckers." Fleur muttered to herself.

"That's how I like my girls. Savage." Ezra roared to the crowd, as more laughter, whistles, and shouts were heard.

"Got get her son!" Ezra's father urged on.

Fleur just wanted to get away from everyone, from Ezra, his clan, and her crazy family.

She was about to open the door and leave when a shadow as fast as lightning stopped her in her tracks. It was her father.

"Where do you think you're going, Fleur? Do you think I worked hard to get you a match with Ezra for you to sabotage this betrothal?  We need their family. If we want to establish our roots here on this town we need them." he hissed at her.

"I just need some air father, It's just too much for me right now." She blurted out.

Her dad grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up. "You do as I order you to do. Do you understand? I have no time to deal with you." He said.

Esme her mom appeared beside them and held his father's hand, "Dearest, let her go, give her some time." She gently said.

Damas let go of her and she fell to the ground. "Deal with her," he said angrily at her mom and walked away.

Fleur was crying and her mom helped her up. "Fleur, you need to get a hold of yourself. Your father will stop at nothing to get this union to work and we cannot mess with Ezra. You know better than this." 

"Yes, Mama," Fleur said while wiping her tears. 

"Go fix yourself and when you come back I need you to apologize to Ezra," Esme said.

"I will..." Fleur said as she went out the door, as she got to the back of their house she jumped from tree to tree and disappeared into the woods. 

She found the spot near the beach she didn't know what led her there, but somehow, she found her way and it seemed like that was where she was supposed to be all along. Away from the prying eyes of her family and the intoxicating presence of Ezra. She heard a group of boys laughing and swimming. She looked at them longingly hoping and praying that like them in her many lifetimes she will be free.

She went down the tree mesmerized by their interaction. She found a boulder and sat there.

She was watching them and feeling the cold damp air, she closed her eyes and savored the stillness of the night, the laughter and banter music to her ears. She couldn't remember when was the last time she was able to have fun. Her family was tenacious and all of them are but pawns to their father's ambitions. Blood, battles, and hunting are in their blood but she was different. Everybody knows that she can be fierce and her abilities are strong, but she just wanted to be normal. 

She sensed a shadow and she opened her eyes ready for a battle, her hazel eyes lightened and seemed to glow in the darkness, she gave the intruder a sharp look.

"Are you okay?" the voice said to her.

She recognized that voice, she looked at him intently.

"You don't recognize me? You really know how to let a guy down," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh, it's you." She said, recognizing that it was Zeeb the handsome guy that she met at school. She almost snapped his neck when he grabbed her, damn her instincts that she needed to be nice at him to avoid any suspicion.

He smiled at her and offered his hand, "So you changed your mind, you want to join us?" he said.

She looked at him with wonder, she was intrigued by this mortal. He doesn't seem to be scared of her even when she had her defenses up. Most humans will immediately walk away sensing danger but Zeeb doesn't seem to mind.

She smiled at him and took his hand.

He led her to the group introduced each one and said "This is Fleur, she's the new girl at school."

They all exchanged knowing glances and smiled at her. Except for Ashina who gave her sharp, intense stares. 

"Welcome to Willow Creek Fleur," Dean said smiling warmly at her and offering her beer from the cooler they had.

She smiled back, and took the can, she was about to say something when water splashed at her. It was Zeeb.

He was laughing hysterically and said "Sorry I thought you needed to chill you looked like you were about to bite me when I found you."

You bet I was about to, she thought to herself, but with this group of people, with Zeeb, she feel light and happy. She laughed back and splashed water at him, they were having fun and they did not notice that Dean has led the group back to their campsite and left them alone. 

When they stopped to catch their breath they were both soaking wet. Fleur sat, her toes digging in the sand. She sighed and smiled at the horizon.

"You are so pretty," Zeeb said watching her while seated beside her.

She looked at him and smiled. "Thank you."

"So what changed your mind?" he said.

"Our house is near this place", she turned to point at the direction she came from, "I just needed to get some air."

Zeeb looked in the direction and saw the huge glasshouse lighted and glowing from a distance.

"Housewarming party?" he said.

"Something like that" she responded.

"Well, families can be...complicated," he said looking thoughtfully in the distance.

"Tell me about it," she said.

"You tell me.." said Zeeb smiling at her.

Their eyes met and Fleur felt all warm and giddy inside. She has never felt this with a mortal.

"Well, my mom is always siding with my dad, and my dad is a jerk." She said.

"Sounds fun to me, "Zeeb said.

She laughed. They both laughed and continued talking.

Little did they both know, back at the Landrys' house, her father, and their spy Hunter was talking. 

"Tell me what you saw," Damas said.

"I found the Lycan's lair master. I saw who they were, they are many, but a lot of them are young ones, they have yet to turn." Hunter replied.

"Well, this should be easy." Damas smiled wickedly and asked Hunter to call the elders and Ezra's clan.