This is the place that I love the best,

A little brown house, like a ground-bird’s nest,

Hid among grasses, and vines, and trees,

Summer retreat of the birds and bees.

The tenderest light that ever was seen

Sifts through the vine-made window screen—

Sifts and quivers, and flits and falls

On home-made carpets and gray-hung walls.

-        From “My Home”

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

    By the time we reached what Jean had called the “Gate,” it was sunrise, and at some point in the last couple hours, the “Queen” behind me had fallen asleep. I slowed to a stop and nudged her a bit with my elbow, “Hey,” I whispered as I turned my head towards her, “Wake up.”

    She stirred and yawned as she stretched, rubbing her eyes and taking in her surroundings, “Oh, here already?” she asks matter-of-factly.

    I nodded as we—or rather she—began to be greeted by a multitude of people, recognizing none of them except Jean, who stood off to one side. She got off the bike and let me walk it through the gate, making her way through the mass and leading the people ahead of me.

    “Where have you been?” I heard some clamor.

    “Why didn’t you say anything before leaving?” others demanded, angrily.

    “Relax. Relax!” She commanded, yelling as she turned around to face the crowd, “I will explain everything from where I should be sitting, in our Hall atop my Throne!”

    That seemed to quell them, for the moment, and most of them dispersed towards this ‘Hall.’

    Though there was one person who didn’t seem so easily quelled, “You better have an explanation, and it better be damn fucking good,” they said nastily before following the others.

    Once we reached this ‘Hall,’ I set the kickstand on the bike and looked towards her, everyone else having already filed inside ahead of us, expectant of their ‘Queen’s’ return, “Someone will see that gets taken to our garage,” she promised as she led me inside.

    “This is the Hall, and this is my little Home, and I’m surprised my predecessor hasn’t attacked it yet.” She said, “No questions, I’ll explain everything momentarily.” She added, noting the look on my face.

    I nodded silently as she led me further into what looked like a building, considering it seemed to be wholly made of living trees.

    She led me to a set of large double doors that looked and felt like they were made of wood. With a flick of her wrist, they opened on some unspoken command, revealing the massive crowd that’d already gathered inside. Before we could even cross the threshold, she picked me up and bridal carried me over the crowd and straight to the massive Throne that sat towards the opposite end of the room. Once there, and without a second thought, she sat down in it, and settled me into her lap.

    While my brain was overloaded with this fact, she sat there and stared at the doors we came through, and continued to do so long after they’d finished closing.

    Some more time after that, when people realized she wasn’t going to answer any questions until everyone had silenced, a hush finally fell over the crowd.

    Without moving, or batting so much as an eyelash, she started, “Some of you asked where I’d gone, others demanded to know why I’d left. And in the hour I’ve been sitting here, others still have tried to command this girl sitting in my lap to vacate the position. I’m going to start with this… how did you put it again?” she asked, pointing to some woman who, from this position, didn’t seem any bigger than myself, “Ah, yes, this ‘good-for-nothing blood buffet of a bimbo,’” she quoted, her tone quickly turning dark, “she has a name, Rosalyn. And while she certainly smells delicious,” Queen said, all but burying her face in my neck, her fangs poking my bare flesh ever so slightly, “she is by no means a ‘blood-buffet’ or a ‘bimbo,’ hell; she’s not even human.” She states matter-of-factly, her eyes glued to the crowd, watching for any signs of outrage.

    One person, some boy who looked no older than I was, raised his hand and stepped into the aisle, “What do you mean?” he asked.

    She simply nodded, “Exactly. She’s been around humans her entire life, looks human, smells mostly human, but why don’t you come up here, youngling, and smell her for yourself?” she inquired, extending an inviting hand.

    At this point, I’m looking at her in utter confusion and trying to hide away from this crowd by burying my head in her bosom, which elicits another laugh from her, “You’ll get plenty of that later,” she murmurs in my ear, “for now, just humor me, okay?”

    I merely nod as the boy finishes making his way up to the throne, who looks up at her, his face similar to mine in confusion.

    Though it was unnecessary, and took a number of hours, she had each individual member in the Hall that day come up and smell for themselves; when the last one finished, the sun was dipping over the horizon.

    “Well, my friends? Now that you’ve all had a chance, what do you smell on her?” she asks the crowd.

    “I smelled ‘us,’” the first boy called out.

    “Are ye daft?” a thick Scottish accent called out from somewhere in the crowd, “She smells like wolf!”

    Several others gave their opinion before she put another hand up, hushing the crowd quicker than it had earlier, “Exactly; she’s human, but also not. I’m not entirely sure what she is… but I do know all of our fates – Wolves, Vampires, Humans – are firmly in her palms. If my predecessor doesn’t know this yet, and I’m sure she probably will soon, and on that topic, this young lady has given me information that leads me to believe she already does! And if she does, it means she’ll probably be after her soon, in the same way she tried kidnapping me, only not nearly as nicely. We more than likely only have until the moon we creatures of the night wait patiently for every year. My friends, my family, my Clan, I’m referencing the mysterious Blood Moon!” she shouts.

    While the crowd talks amongst themselves, my head starts spinning, ‘Vampires? Well, given…. This lady named Queen, and what I’ve seen of her, and this Clan, I guess that should make sense, but Werewolves? What kind of cult have I been introduced to? They’re only myths, right? They aren’t real, can they?’

    As I was thinking, my vision went black and I vaguely recall feeling my body go slack against Queen’s, though my last coherent thought was ‘I wonder how much of what I’ve considered myth is actually real…’

    I also vaguely recall hearing someone calling for a doctor, and to make way, presumably as I was carried out of the room, and then I was asleep, I think.

    The Vampiress was furious as she looked on in her Looking Glass. “What?! She’s not only alive, but she made it home! It seems she’s also found someone very important… I must have that woman! I must!” she cried.The Vampiress was furious as she looked on in her Looking Glass. “What?! She’s not only alive, but she made it home! It seems she’s also found someone very important… I must have that woman! I must!” she cried.

    “You, there!” she shouted, pointing at the ‘man’ in the shadows, “Why haven’t you caught her yet?!”

    “Don’t yell at me, bitch,” ‘he’ growled, “Do you not realize how fucking difficult my job becomes when your kind takes to the skies?! How hard it is to track someone that can fucking FLY!?”

    The Vampiress frowned and sighed, “Yes, yes; though you could’ve just requested one of us fly you up, if it’d made your job easier…” she suggested.

    “I thought of that,” ‘he’ said, “It wouldn’t have been useful, given the scents would’ve gotten mixed up. How about you just prepare an army at this point?” ‘he’ suggested back.

    The Vampiress listened silently and contemplated what her Tracker suggested, “Yes… Yes, that would work nicely. In the meantime, I want you to infiltrate their base. Once you’ve accomplished that, contact me and we’ll plan more from there. You leave now!” she commanded as she started sending messengers out and about, calling her war staff in for a meeting.

    I came too shortly after the Vampiress had dismissed the… Tracker, and begun her own preparations, “Queen, or whatever your name is,” I began, thinking I was still near her as realization dawned that she was nowhere near me.

    And I was no longer in the Throne room, on her lap, no; now I was alone, and in some kind of hospital room.

    “Is there something you need, Ms. Rosalyn?” a passing nurse stopped to ask.

    ‘Does everyone know my name? I know none of theirs…’ I thought in annoyance, internally sulking, “Uhh, nothing… She’s probably busy with the explanation; I know there was a lot she didn’t get to before I… what happened, exactly?”

    The passing nurse nodded at me, not entirely believing me, but returned to her original task as I turned my head to look around the room, and gaze out the window.

    “It’s good to see my patient’s awake now,” a familiar voice said.

    My ears perked up and I turned to look at the door, to be greeted by Jenna looking over a chart and leaning against the doorway, “What are you doing here?” I asked in incredulous disbelief.

    “You remember how I was in med school for a couple of years, before I transferred into yours?” She started, “well, at some point, I came across these… books amongst my parents’ bookshelves, books that had all sorts of information on otherwise mythological creatures. I confronted them later that night, and one thing led to another, and for the last few months I’d been training under my parents, as well as the doctors here. In fact, when I’m not at school, or out shopping with you, I’m usually here, studying, or assisting. Though, I was more than surprised when I got a call, and my next patient was none other than you.”

    I nodded in confusion at her explanation, though it was shortly after she finished that Queen had stopped by to check on me, “Ah, my dear,” she started softly as she sat down on the bed beside me with Jenna standing nearby, “I’m glad you’re awake. One of the nurses sent a messenger, they said you called for me shortly after waking?”

    I took a deep breath and glanced at Jenna, who shrugged in response, before turning my focus to Queen, “Yes…” I started as I recounted what I’d seen after fainting.

    She simply stood up, looked at Jenna, who was staring at me with her jaw on the floor, and jerked a finger towards the door. Jenna put herself together with a quick sigh and nodded, “Well, if she needs any further assistance, don’t hesitate to let me know.” She stated simply as she made her way out.

    Queen merely nodded as she closed the door behind her, “Well… I guess I should’ve known I was being tracked, though I’m a little surprised Vampiress is wanting war, or at least planning for it… Come with me, Rosalyn; the rest of the Clan should be informed. I promise, I will tell you who I am eventually, but I need you to be patient a bit longer, okay?” she said softly as she pulled me into a somewhat awkward hug.