Fairly Tainted

“Wake up Cleo!” My sister yelled at me through the door. “Fathers been waiting for us for ten minutes!”  I groaned loudly from my bed and turned to look at the clock. It blinked 12:00 am at me but the sun was up. I stretched out in my bed and wiggled across to the side table and grabbed my phone. I flipped it over and checked the time. 9:40! Oh no! I’m so late!  I flung myself out of my bed and rushed to my bathroom. I quickly grabbed a hair tie and threw my blonde hair into a pony tail and splashed water across my face. I didn’t have time to shower like I usually do and was thankful I had my clothes already set out in the chair. I hurried to get dressed and grabbed the robes from my closet.  Chloe was standing outside my door as I rushed out and made my heart jump out of my chest. I let out a squeal when I saw her and she laughed at me. I glared at her because I know she did it on purpose and was probably the one who unplugged my clock at some point.   “Not cool Clo!” I yelled at her as I rushed past her. “What did you do to my clock?”  “What?” She asked innocently as we headed down the stairs. “Maybe we had a power outage?”   “We’re fairies,” I snapped back at her. “There’s never been any power outages here. You unplugged it or turned it off.”   “You’re usually up before your alarm,” she replied. “I didn’t think you’d actually sleep in Miss. Goody-Two-Shoes. Especially since it’s your Light Ceremony!”  “I had Lane give me a sleeping potion so I could actually sleep,” I replied. “You knew that!”  “Oh yeah,” she gasped. “I forgot. I’m sorry, Lo.”   She smiled sadly at me and I felt the guilt wash over me. She was my twin and I loved her. We were physically identical in every way except that she had brown hair and I had almost white blonde. We had the same face and shade of grey eyes like our father. Our mother had died in childbirth delivering Chloe. I was first born so I’m technically next in line for the throne.  Our father is King of the Fae. We lived amongst the humans because it was safer for us since we were the last of our race. We had a small village of about thirty fae. Fairies were spread out over the world in their own kingdoms. My father ruled the entire North American area.  Today is my Light Ceremony, this is the day I accept my position as next in line for the throne. I will be a queen in training and will have to shadow my father. I was nervous to be next in line. I was always a tender hearted person and being in charge meant I’d need to be a lot firmer. I’d need to make tough choices for my kind and protect them against other supernaturals.  We were a coveted race of fae. We were almost pure light. Just being in our presence made you happy and calm. There are lots of other kinds of fae, dark mysterious fairies that use blood or fire in their magic and rituals. We call them Dark fae and we tend to avoid each other. After countless wars between our races, we’ve decimated our numbers. We’ve reached a bit of an understanding now. More like a Cold War. No one will start something but they’ll finish it. No fae has fought in decades.   Our low numbers weren’t necessarily all our fault either. Sure we lost hundreds of fairies to war amongst ourselves. But the real danger was the other supernatural creatures. The shifters pay us no mind which is fine. But the witches, warlocks and vampires seek our power for themselves. A vampire is incredibly dangerous to us because they love our blood. It calls to them. We taste like sunlight. It gives them some sort of euphoric reaction and they become addicted immediately. If the vampire doesn’t kill the fairy he will hunt them until they drained them completely.   “Cleo!” My father yelled down the hall and I sprinted faster with Chloe on my heels.  “I’m so sorry Father!” I called when I came into the living room. “Chloe unplugged my alarm so I overslept.”   “Ugh girls!” He groaned. “You’re twenty two years old! You’re too old for childish pranks.”  “Sorry dad,” we said in unison. He smiled at us and hugged us both.   “I love you girls,” he said. “But I swear you’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days.”  “Let’s go dad!” I said. “We’re already running late.”   We all hurried out of the house and down the driveway. My dads big black SUV stood majestically pointing down the drive way; three men dressed in suits stood beside the doors. One of them got into the drivers seat as we approached and the other two opened the doors for us. I folded my robes neatly in my arms and got into the back with my sister. Father sat in the front and one of the guards got in back with us. The other returned to the house.  “Ready?” Darren asked beside my father. Dad gave a nod and we were off.   “How long will it take to get there?” Chloe asked.   “About two hours,” Darren replied. “We just have enough time to make it before the ceremony starts.”  “The ceremony can’t start til Cleo is there,” Chloe replied. “She’s the guest of honor.”  “Well we were supposed to meet with the council before it began,” my father remarked. “I suppose a quick meet and greet will have to do. Step on it Darren.”   We drove off faster through the twisty winding roads that lead out of the kingdom. Chloe put her headphones on and turned her music all the way up. I sat nervously in my seat and looked down at the bundle of robes in my lap. I’d have to wear them as soon as we arrived.  I kind of wished my sister had been born first. She was better suited for ruling over people. I remember asking my father if it was possible to give the crown to Chloe. But father was firm that the first born was to take control. He had been born five minutes before my uncle who was his twin.. Fae are known to have multiple children at once. I had a set of triplet aunts and another set of twin uncles aside from my dad and his twin who had passed away at birth. But my parents never got the chance to have any more children so it was just Chloe and I.  “Will Auntie Mara, Tara and Sara be there?” I asked my father after a long silence.  “Yes,” he replied. “As will Uncle Gerry and Aunt Fiona. They’re already there waiting for us.”   “No Uncle Terry?” I asked.  “No,” he sighed. “Terry went out of the country for business and got caught up. He won’t be back until next week.”  “Told him not to go,” Chloe mumbled next to me.  Her eyes were closed and had her headphones still on but I couldn’t hear the music anymore. Chloe had visions and had foreseen our uncle’s trip being delayed. She warned him but he said the deal was too important to miss.  “Well,” my father sighed. “Maybe he will learn this time to take your visions to heart.”  “You’d think he would have learned his lesson after the stock market debacle,” Darren chuckled. “Miss. Chloes been having visions since she was eighteen and not once have they failed to be true.”   “Thanks Darren,” Chloe said with a smile.   Darren has been my father’s right hand man since my mother passed away. It used to be my parents managing the kingdom together. When my mother passed, Darren stepped in and helped keep things running smoothly while my father not only mourned the loss of his wife and soulmate but needed to care for twin newborns. If it hadn’t been for Darren then my dad wouldn’t have been able to keep his title as King. Darren was made Captain shortly after my father regained control and he’s been by his side ever since.  Finally we arrived to the Fairy Council. They control all fae and have dictated the kings and queens of the regions. A representative of the different races of Fae makes up the council. As we approached the doors, they opened up and we were greeted by a very tall and slender man. His hair was a silver grey but his face was smooth and young. His icy blue eyes scanned us quickly and a tight smile formed at the corners of his mouth.  “Cleovanna!” He sang to me and I smiled at him. The tight smile on his face broke free and widened.  “Feran!” I cried. “I’m so sorry we are late!”  “Come come my girl,” he chuckled and hugged me quickly. “We must start!”   “I need to get my robes on first,” I said and held up the bundle. “Can I change quickly?”   “Yes,” he said and took my hand then turned to the others. “Head on to the reception room, they are waiting your arrival. We will join you shortly.”   Feran twirled me towards a set of doors away from the reception room. Once inside he took the bundle from my arm and unfolded the robes. He tisked and tutted at me as he pulled out the robes and stared at my clothes I had pulled on and my messy pony tail.   “I’m sorry!” I cried and tried not to panic. “I took a sleeping potion last night to help me sleep through my nerves and Chloe decided to prank me by unplugging my alarm clock. I didn’t have time to do anything but throw clothes on and put my hair up.”  Feran sighed as he spun me around and turned on his steamer that he keeps in his office. Feran is the elven representative of the council but is also a Light Ambassador. He represents the light fae – pixies, elves, fairies and sprites who follow the path of light. Dark fae are represented by a woodland nymph named Pluto. He’s supposedly the oldest fae in existence. He helps keep the dark fae in line. There’s a goblin, brownie, sprite, pixie, and a fairy on the council. I haven’t met them all yet, that’s what I was supposed to do before the ceremony.   “It’s a good thing you’re a natural beauty,” Feran sighed as he started to work his hands through my hair; quickly braiding it together. “I won’t even need to do any make up which saves us time.”   When he finished with my hair, he grabbed the steamer and began to steam the wrinkles out of my robes. I slid inside the silky robe when he was finished and tied them together. Feran smile at me when I was finished then turned to grab the ceremonial crown and scepter. I looked down at myself in my flowy blue robes. My hair was braided to the side and the crown sat perfectly atop my head. The scepter was long and silver with a huge blue orb at the hand encaged in silver. I held it up close to me and stared at the blue jewel inside. It began to glow as I stared at it.   “Feran!” I gasped and he stared at it too. “What’s happening?”   “Oh no!” He gasped and grabbed the glowing scepter and my hand. “We are about to be attacked!”  Feran ran out of the room; dragging me by the hand that was still holding the glowing scepter. He began to shout for the guards to get to their posts and defend us. He burst into the reception room and pulled me to the front where a long ceremonial table was set up with candles and daggers and a chalice. I gulped when I saw them knowing that they were meant to cut my hand and collect the blood from my hand and my fathers to drink.   “Council!” Feran roared. “We are about to be attacked!” He held up my scepter that was still in my hand and the blue jewel began to flash faster and brighter. “The enemy is upon us!”   Suddenly there was loud boom and people were screaming outside. Feran pulled the scepter out of my hand and laid it upon the table. People were running around and screaming as the doors burst open and a flood of vampires came rushing in. Fae of all kinds were running in terror. A few of the vampires swiped at the fleeing fairies.  A huge hulking man came into view and his blood red eyes glowed. A sneer marred his handsome features. Fae warriors began to flood the halls of the building and took on whatever creatures were attacking the council. There was chaos and loud booming voices shouting orders. I could hear them fighting and screaming in pain. The room had all but been cleared of fae except for my father, sister, Darren, Feran, Pluto, and myself.   “My name is Victor,” said the hulking vampire in front of us. “Surrender to me and you will live.”   “Never,” sneered Pluto as his hands lit up green. He was tall in his human form but his hands morphed into tree branches. The energy began to pulsate and grow. He threw the green orb at Victor but it smashed into an invisible barrier and exploded. Pluto’s eyes widened and he gasped as Victor smiled evilly.   “Pity,” Victor replied and waved his massive hand at Pluto as if back handing him and Pluto flew across the room; smashing into the far wall. He fell unconscious to the ground.   My father and Darren stood in front of my sister and me trying to protect us. Feran grabbed the dagger from the table and held it out threateningly at Victor. I saw Feran’s eyes shift into his elven eyes and his ears pointed up. His human cloak lifted completely and he was his true elf.   “You have no rights here,” Feran spoke deeply in his true voice. “Leave now.”   “You think I didn’t come prepared elf?” Victor replied. “I brought a hundred fifty hungry friends with me. Some haven’t had blood in years let alone fresh fae blood.” I gasped and looked through the windows and I saw vampires attacking the fairies fleeing from the building. Blood was everywhere and the vampires were laughing as they enjoyed the c*****e.  “No!” Feran roared.  Victor swung his hand at Feran who dropped to the ground as scratches went down his face. He screamed loudly. Father pushed us back towards the wall away from the vampire. I clung to Chloe’s hand who was sobbing quietly next to me. Victor walked further into the room and stood over Feran. He kicked him hard in the stomach then stepped over him and stood in front of my father and Darren. I cowered away from the evil look in his eyes as he appraised my sister and I.   “Surrender to me,” Victor ordered again. “Or die.”   “How are you walking in the daylight?” Darren asked. “I thought you filthy bastards only came out at night.”  “It’s no concern of yours,” Victor replied in a flat voice.  “Girls Run!” My father roared and shoved his glowing hands into Victor’s chest.  Whatever protective spell Victor had wasn’t strong enough to withhold a close range blast of pure light and it sent him flying backwards. I grabbed onto Chloe and I tried to run but she wouldn’t move. She was standing paralyzed against the wall in fear. She was shaking and crying and I tried to get her attention by yelling her name. Father continued to charge at Victor blasting him with light over and over again. It was draining him with every burst. Victor roared and charged at my father.  “No!” I shrieked.  “Run Cleo!” Darren screamed at me as he scooped up my sister who was still unable to move on her own. “Run and don’t look back!”   Victor and my father were battling with each other. My father was not doing well as his energy had been depleted and he was unable to defend himself from Victor’s attacks. With a roar Victor lunged at my father and bit into his neck. My father screamed in pain as Victor hungry fed from him.   “No!” I screamed and then I felt myself being yanked out of the room. I fought against the arms as hard as I could.   “Princess!” Said a voice I didn’t recognize. “Please we must leave! We can’t save your father now. I’m so sorry princess but we must go! Now!”  “Father!” I screamed over and over again. “Chloe!”   “Darren has her,” said the voice and slung me over his shoulder so I was face down in front of his bare chest. “He will meet us at the rendezvous point.”   “Who are you?” I yelled. “Names Duncan,” he said and he began to run faster and faster.  I turned my head to the side and saw blood covered the grass outside. I whimpered a bit as I saw chunks of flesh and body parts strewn about. “Keep your eyes closed princess.”