Chapter 6

I'd like to thank a dear friend of mine for giving me some insight into who she really is to make her character better.

 I had quickly rushed out of the room once the others started filing into the great hall, not wanting the others to see me. I trusted Zandra and Starla since they had been my closet friends when we were human, and Tina because she was my sister, and I loved the others dearly but I would not let them see me cry. 

After making the others wait for about an hour as the swelling in my face came down, I had re-entered the great hall.

 Everyone was obviously annoyed that I had made them wait so long. Mary, ever the lady in red, had been throwing and catching a ball of flame that could easily kill anyone in the room, save her; Ashley had been playing with a dead field mouse, resurrecting it and killing it again as she pleased; Brianna had been making all sorts of strange plants grow around the room, I watched mesmerized as green ivy wrapped its way around the room twisting in ways that should have been impossible; Zandra was underwater in the reflection pool I kept, talking to the fish that we kept; Starla was aimlessly flirting with the general of Mary's army, he seemed slightly amused but unaffected by her power. He knew what she was trying to do; and Libby was aimlessly floating in the air, looking exactly like a fallen angel. I suppose that was what she was after all. A vampire with the power to heal any injury. 

What a strange and powerful mix I have on my side of this war. 

At first, no one noticed I had walked in. I tried clearing my throat, but I didn't work. This was beginning to bother me, If I couldn't get their attention, how was I supposed to speak? "Quiescite," I spoke cutting my hand through the air. Immediately, Mary's flame went out; Ashley's mouse went back to being dead; Brianna's ivy withered to dust; Zandra started drowning in her element; Starla's play thing snapped his attention away; and Libby fell to the ground with a thump.

"I do apologize, now can we get on with the meeting?" I asked as I took my seat. Everyone had conjured a throne to match their powers, mine was at the head of the table. It was made out of clear crystal, like the piano, but it had a small golden circle towards the middle. The gold reflected every which way in the crystal, making it seem as though the chair was glowing from the inside.

"No, We cannot," Libby's voice resonated through the room, making my head snap up.

"Oh? And why is that?," I questioned.

"An emergency meeting of the entire council has been called. Something having to do with a possible fourteenth eye. Supposedly found by either your sister of Gabriel."

"Doubtful. It is too soon after the last one has been found. Most likely some elaborate hoax to get us there so they can slaughter us," Ashley's disinterested  voice rang through the hall, her words unheard by my ears.

Sheer panic. If Sarah really has found a new eye, they will be much more powerful than I. What Is more powerful than neutralization? What if they choose to side with Sarah? The war will be lost before it even starts! Run! Flee! 

Do not let your panic show, Idiot. The others need a firm leader right now.

 "I agree with Ashley, It is much too soon after the last one had been found. It's most likely a trick. Keep to our plans. Starla will try to seduce as many of the council members as possible, I will neutralize their powers by borrowing your energy."

"That was never the plan! Starla was supposed to go after one, while you alone neutralized the others powers!" Mary shouted.

"Plans change. This is a stronger plan of attack, with less chance for error. Plus with the wild card they have thrown in makes the entire situation risky. We don't know what they can do, if anything at all. This is practically fool-proof. I won't harm any of you by taking your energy, and what I do borrow will be returned to you within the hour."

"Fine, don't make me regret this," Mary growled out, the fire in her eyes burning with hatred as I forced her to do something she did not want to do.

~~~~

We walk into the council chambers and see seven forms. The six of those against us, and one of an unidentified female. I immediately move to neutralize the power in the room and find that I can't.

"How does it feel to have your own trick turned on you, Teresa?" Gaberiel's voice drips venom, and I can plainly see that he has his abilities back. But how?

"Release me from this foul spell, you idiotic time traveler," I growl out.

"Why? So you can immobilize everyone else in this room? So you can drain your allies of their power? I think not," he circles me as I stand still, practically human. He kicks the back of my leg and I go down, falling without grace to the hard floor.

"How is this possible?" I speak, trying to distract his attention from the rest of my party. So far, they had remained unnoticed, and I wished to keep it that way.

"I brought a friend from the future. Queen Teresa of the Golden eyed vampires, may I introduce you to Queen Sabine of the Iron eyed vampires? She hasn't even been born yet, in our day. But she's the first, and most powerful, of what will one day be known as the mime vampires. She has the power to mimic any vampire's power, and is unaffected by your power. Therefore, she is the most powerful weapon we have. And you were stupid enough to come here without backup. So, before the war truly begins, let me introduce you to your future... or should I say your past?" and with that a swirling vortex opened beneath me, and as I fell through it I could see the evil grin on his face. 

I, too, had a wildcard up my sleeve. The idiot sent me back to my past. The past where he had not yet been my enemy. The past where I could stop him from ever hating me. The past where I could stop the war before it began...