MIDDLE GROUND

50

Liam and I kept each other company, laying low in the compound. Since I was "murdered" by my father he thought it best to keep me hidden.

He starting feeding and sleeping regularly, getting himself back in tip-top shape to see his beloved Fiona, while I sat wondering if I was making the right decision. I had time to change my decision.

"Are you ready to see them?" Liam knew this wasn't going to be a happy reunion until I had mated with my true love.

"Oh, totally. What could go wrong?" We both laughed nervously.

We heard cheering and knew that the three vampires we loved most were home.

Goddesses, help me. Let me make the right decision.

This had to work, Maggie couldn't win. My father couldn't win. My mother couldn't win. Maggie put in motion a curse that hurt my family. She might be related to me through blood but Rian, Oisin, Fiona, and Liam were my chosen family.

I sucked in a breath as the door opened wide and all three over-powered me with a hug. They were overjoyed to see us, me and Liam, which made the poor lover-boy cry.

"You saved our girl! You are a hero! Come, come, we have much to discuss." Rian said with a genuine smile on his face.

We started moving out of the room at vampire speed which left me a little disoriented when we finally stopped in a room that I knew was only for the royal siblings and their mates.

Liam was shocked. He became overwhelmed with emotions and looked for Fiona. When their eyes locked Liam wanted to smile but he was so hesitant. I had heard how Oisin and Rian had kept Fiona away from Liam during my time unconscious and she avoided him while at the ball. They looked at each other with rosy cheeks unable to move.

"You remembered. You saved her and us because you remembered the code we created for our love letters."

"Fi..." Tears were rolling down Liam's cheek. "Of course I remembered. I love you. I always have and always will. Mate bond or no mate bond, you have my heart. I don't want it back."

"Liam!" She ran and jumped, throwing her arms around Liam, cradling his head. "Shh baby, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. It's alright." Fiona's hands combed through his black hair. "You are my soulmate. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

Rian cleared his throat and brought everyone's attention to him.

"Right. So, before Fiona and Liam start making-out."

"Oh you should be worried about a lot more than that." Fiona was tugging Liam's bottom lip, her forehead on his and lust in both of their eyes.

"Yep, so before they defile a place as sacred as this," we all let out a small laugh, "I'd like to welcome you, Liam, to our family. We know now that whether the mate bond has in fact brought you two together or not, you are a vital part of this family. This is a room we've kept you out of. It holds dusty old books, treaties, a safe, and the best booze in the entire land." Rian looked directly at Liam with sincerity and continued, "And we've decide you are family. Family's are whatever we want them to be and Fiona has made you her family and therefore our family. Welcome brother."

"Thank you, King Rian."

"Rian will do." He nodded. "I'm sorry it took us so long to see what Fiona has seen all along. Now if I list those things I'll have nothing to say at your wedding, so I'm moving on. You protected your family, which brings me to Evelyn."

All eyes were on me. Rian and Oisin were the only two that had fixed themselves a drink and I could definitely use one right about now. Fiona didn't climb off of Liam but they both turned and smiled at me.

"Liam brought you home safely back to us. We know you have a decision to make and we all," Rian gestured between him and Oisin, "will stand by your decision. Your choice won't break our family apart because as we see it, you are part of our family."

"But... but I'm not a vampire." My eyes widened. "You know."

Both men downed their drinks and Rian motioned for his siblings to follow. "We will leave this room to get ourselves cleaned-up, fed, and rested. The contract that put your bloodline into our servitude is on the bar. The fire is lit. We will await for your final decision." Then he came in close, "burn it, love." He winked and was off.

Rian knows how to woo an enslaved girl, that's for sure. I hope Oisin was listening to my thoughts and found that as funny as I did.

Walking over to the bar I picked up a piece of old parchment paper. The paper looked well preserved but still had wear and tear to it. Unfolding it I found the one side was a map of sorts from before the countries were known as they are now.

In exchange for helping the Celtic clan, Danu the seer belongs to us. We promise to continue to stand by them and keep their land from foreign enemies attacks. Danu must produce a female heir with her abilities. Every first born female heir will be given over to us so we may stay ready and able to keep watch. Danu will share her gifts with her clan and ours alone. She will dictate the terms of how her bloodline is to be kept with full support from Red.

Red...as in the historically famous Viking? Holy shit! Is that the 'father' of Oisin and Rian? The writing is in another language that I can somehow interpret, I feel like it's in my bones. It's the old language. The signatures are mostly initials from those that could write and just marks from those that couldn't.

Did they not know she was a goddess? And if she could foresee the future, wouldn't she see they are turned into vampires? Why didn't she or Brigid or the Moon Goddess come to the Irish people's aids when the British tried to commit gynecide against them?

My tears shed for my family. For Maggie and her mother and her mother's mother, all the way back to Danu. And even for my own mother. They didn't chose this path, only Danu had the power to change any of it. Maggie had at least tried to do something for her kin.

The parchment paper was soaked in tears before I finally tore it apart and threw it into the fire.

Flames burned bright reds and oranges to all the sudden burn green. I could hear my name being whispered to me from the fire, like that burning bush story in the Bible.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

"There was always a plan. A much larger plan in play. You had to be born for you are going to unite all the good-hearted outcasts from all the realms. I saw you as a benevolent Queen giving freedom and hope to those in chains as well as leading men and women, faery, wolf, dragon, and vampire alike, to live in peace with one another. This treaty was for you and is no longer needed."

"Whatthefuckisgoingon? Am I hallucinating?!"

"Calm child. Just know you were always a major player in this tapestry of fate being weaved. Now go claim your mate. He awaits you. He's waited a long time. I knew his as a boy and watch over him still. Goodbye sweet Queen. Destiny awaits you."

The fire's flames changed back into the correct colors of reds to yellows, even blues. No green left in the fireplace.

Anger and disbelief swelled inside of me until I remembered I had a royal vampire as my soulmate and he was waiting for me.

***

I ran to his room to find it empty. Everything was draped in white cloth or moved. I wondered around the room looking for clues to where he had gone. A note was on the bed. I wouldn't have seen it, it was so small and white, blending in with its surroundings.

Evelyn, if you have picked me I will be waiting in our new bedroom suite. Didn't you see this coming, supposed seer of mine? XOXO

I remember Fiona saying he had his own wing but didn't make use of it. He must have changed his mind.

Running like my life depended on it I made it to a sign that said UNDER CONSTRUCTION. That sign would have stopped the old Evelyn from going forward but I'm not that same person anymore.