| Chapter 10 Brian sat on the couch watching as Tracy paced back and forth. She didn't say a word the rest of the way back, and now she was on her cell phone. She spoke in a language he didn't understand, but he was pretty sure she was angry. Her hand gestures and the tone of her voice told him that. He pitied the person on the other end of the conversation. He looked over as Howie let himself into his room. He quietly sat down next to Brian, "What's going on?" Brian shrugged, "There where slayers at the party. She got me out, but she said I was changing to fast, and now she's talking to I don't know who. I think she's pissed." "Sounds like it," Howie agreed as Tracy yelled into the phone. Brian looked down at the floor. Why did he feel like a child sitting in the principles office waiting his turn? He looked back up, just in time to see Tracy staring at him intently. Apparently the person on the other end had finally gotten a word in. Chills ran down his back as her eyes widened, and her face seemed to pale. Whatever the person was saying, it couldn't be good. Brian glanced at Howie. He just shrugged. Tracy turned her back to them both, speaking in hushed tones for a moment, then hung up. She stood with her back to them for a minute, then turned around. Her eyes where on fire, as she glared at Howie, "I need to talk to you, alone," she spat. Brian looked at Howie with a �what'd you do?' expression. Howie swallowed hard, slowly standing up and following Tracy into Brian's bedroom. "We'll just be a minute," she said, then shut the door. As soon as the door clicked shut, she locked it then turned toward him, "I wanna know how long you where gonna wait before you told me?!" she whispered fiercely. Howie took several steps back, "I-I don't know what ...." She was on him before he could blink, "You know damn well what I'm talking about! I signed on to help him, not get involved in a war." Howie looked away, her eyes where just to much to keep looking at. "I'm sorry, Eli didn't think you would help if you knew," he apologized. She let go of him, pushing him back, "Eli was right. How dare you? You know my past, how dare you get me mixed up in this?!" Howie smoothed down his shirt, "Tracy please. Brian needs you. Don't leave because of this." She crossed her arms over her chest, staring out the window, "I didn't say I was leaving." "Good," he said, chancing a step toward her. "How long are you gonna keep him in the dark about this?" she asked. "For as long as I can," he answered. She turned back to face him, "He needs to know." "I know he does, but not now. You and I both know he couldn't take it right now," Howie argued. "Take it or not, I'm not going to lie to him. He deserves the truth," she countered. Howie sighed, "I know he does. It's killing me keeping this from him, but there's no other way. Besides, we could be wrong." She looked at him like he was stupid, "Have you asked him?" "No," he retorted. "Well, there's only one way to find out then isn't there?" she said, moving towards the door. Howie jumped in front of her, "No Tracy you can't. He wouldn't understand." "Then watcher you will explain it to him," she seethed, pushing him out of the way and exiting the room. Brian stopped his pacing when the two emerged. He could hear them arguing, but he couldn't make out any of the words. He knew one thing though, it was about him. Tracy still looked angry, and Howie looked .... scared. Tracy walked toward him, "Brian, I need to ask you something. Does the name Theophilus mean anything to you?" Brian shook his head, "No, should it?" He noticed Howie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Tracy glanced back at Howie, "Don't get to comfy," then turned back to Brian, "Brian, siete sicuri il Theophilus nome non significate niente a voi?" Brian, are you sure the name Theophilus means nothing to you? Brian blinked a few times. Why did that sound so familiar? He knew the language was Italian, he'd heard it before. But for some reason he understood it. "Risponda alla domanda," Answer the question, Tracy prompted. Brian sat down on the nearest chair, his heart beating wildly in his chest for the second time that night. "Brian?" Howie asked. He looked up at them both, "S�, ma io non capisca perch�." Yes, but I don't understand why. Howie's mouth dropped open, and he too had to find somewhere to sit. Tracy sighed, and looked at Howie, "You have your answer." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I don't see why we had to leave so early," Nick whined. "Because I said so," Kevin answered as they entered the hotel. "Man, if you're that tired, you could've left like D and Rok," A.J. said, "Me and Nick would've stayed." Kevin sighed, "I'm not tired, I just have something I have to do." A.J. glanced at his watch, "Kev, it's 1:00 AM, what in the hell do you have to do?" "Yeah, you get on to me and J for staying out late, and you've gotta go somewhere, at this time of night?" Nick added, "What you stripping for some extra dough or what?" he giggled. Kevin sighed, "No, and it's really none of your business what I do." Nick and A.J. glanced at one another. Kevin boarded the elevator with the two in tow. "Will you stop staring at me like that," he yelled. Both younger men jumped. "Sorry dude," Nick muttered. "Damn Kev, who shoved the stick up your ass?" A.J. asked. Kevin glared at him. A.J. stepped back, not liking the look he was getting. The doors opened and Kevin headed down the hall, "In your rooms, I'll see you in the morning." Nick and A.J. watched him step into his room. "Damn, what'd we do?" Nick asked. A.J. shook his head, "Nothin. He's pissed and we get to hear it, that's all. See ya in the morning," he said, swiping his key card through his door and going in. "Yeah, night," Nick said, turning toward his own room until A.J.'s door shut. Nick glanced up and down the hall to make sure no one was around, then headed toward Brian's room. He got as far as lifting his hand to knock, when he heard muffled voices. He leaned against the door, trying to hear better. He made out Brian's voice, and Howie's, but there was a third he didn't know. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but he could tell that Brian was upset. He sighed, debating on what to do. "I said in your room," Kevin said from behind him. Nick jumped, "Dammit Kevin! Stop trying to boss me around!" "Stop acting like a child," Kevin retorted, passing him, "Now go to your room." Nick rolled his eyes, stomping behind him until he was at his own door. Kevin looked back from the elevators, "I mean it Nick, go to bed." "I'm going, jeez," Nick said, stepping into his own room and slamming the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tracy kept her eyes on Howie, her hand over Brian's mouth. Howie was at the door, listening. "They're gone," he announced. She removed her hand, "He didn't hear us. If he did, he'd be in here." Brian looked from one to the other, "What are you talking about? Who's he? And why do I suddenly know Italian, and who the hell is Theophilus?" Tracy sat down on the couch, gesturing toward Howie, "You're on watcher." Brian looked at Howie, "D, what's going on?" Howie swallowed hard, walking back over to stand in front of the couch. Brian could see the stares between him and Tracy. None of them where to kind. "Tell him, or I will leave," Tracy threatened. Brian's head shot up, "Leave? You can't leave," he said, fear in his eyes. Howie held his hands up, "No one's leaving Brian." Howie pulled the coffee table over and sat down, right in front of Brian. He rested his elbows on his knees and stared at the floor, "I didn't want to tell you this because I knew that you weren't ready. Um, Theophilus was Raven's mate. He was her first child and her first love. They spent centuries together, building their �family'. Together they where very powerful, and they tried to overthrow the Vampire Council. They didn't like the rules they were making, and wanted to rule the vampires themselves as King and Queen. Their attempt failed when Theophilus was killed by the slayers. Since then Raven has remained hidden. We all assumed that she would rebuild her family and try again." "But what does that have to do with me?" Brian asked. Howie looked up to meet his friends eyes, "Because you are the spitting image of Theophilus, and Raven believes you are him, returned to help her." Brian shook his head, "But I'm not him." Howie and Tracy exchanged concerned glances. Brian stood up, "Oh no, don't you sit there and tell me you think I am! I don't believe in reincarnation, and I am not this Theo person!" "Brian, you don't have to believe in reincarnation for it to be real. When I spoke to you, you understood me. Theophilus was Italian, and always preferred to speak it. I know you didn't know Italian before I spoke to you," Tracy said. Brian covered his face with his hands, his body trembling. "This isn't happening. This is not happening," he muttered over and over. Howie carefully moved toward him, placing his hand on his shoulder, "Brian, it's gonna be Ok. Tracy and I will help you." Brian pushed his hand away and stepped back, "Help me?! You lied to me Howie! How could you keep this from me?!" "Because I didn't want you to freak out like you are now," he answered, giving Tracy another sharp glare. "Oh and why wouldn't I freak out?!" Brian screamed, waving his hands in the air, "I'm just the reincarnated love of some crazy vampire that wants to take over the world. Naw, nothing to freak out bout there!" "Brian, shhhhhhh," Tracy said, "Someone will hear." Brian started pacing the floor. He had to do something before he cracked. "Reincarnated Theo .whatever ....not gonna happen .......freaking fangs and ......... shit," he mumbled. "Way to go Tracy, I think he's lost it," Howie said quietly. She glared at him, baring her fangs, "Don't blame me for this watcher. You are his friend, you should have told him before now." Howie stepped back, unsure of what she would do. Suddenly Brian stopped moving and faced them, "And just who the hell was in the hall?" "A slayer," Tracy answered, her fangs gone as she turned to Brian. His eyes widened even more, "There's a slayer here in the hotel?" Both she and Howie nodded. "Oh well that's just peachy ain't it?" he said, throwing his hands up in defeat as he sank to the couch, his head in his hands. "Brian, we're trying to keep you safe," Howie said. "I know," he said softly. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner," he apologized. "It's Ok," Brian sighed. Tracy sat down next to him, pulling his hands away from his face, making him look at her. Her brown eyes held so much concern and worry for him. "Brian, we need to spend as much time as we can training. You need to learn as much as you can before your change is complete," she said. "Why?" he asked. Tracy bit her lip, then took a deep breath, "Because Raven will come for you then, and you'll need all the strength you have to resist her." Chapter 11 |