The Enigma of Secrets: Chapter 4

“Cousin, listen to me- there are more serious issues for you to attend to now that you’ve been betrothed to Shannon,” Jason insisted, “The band was purely for fun, it is unimportant now.”
“Unimportant?!” Ryan nearly seethed, “If it weren’t for Rebecca leaving and The Enigma being at The Gas Chamber when we were, Shannon would still be dead in the eyes of all of Malichi!”
The three male vampires and the male cross-breed were in the most secluded study of Thornfield, waiting for Shannon and Johanna, who Ryan had already spoken to that morning and had sworn to secrecy until he could explain things to Shannon.
“Calm down, Ryan,” Jason demanded and sighed exasperatedly, “And you might as well do away with that little spell of yours. Shannon’s bound to find out sooner or later that you are barely human at all.”
He sighed and slumped onto the couch by the door, running a hand through his quickly lengthening and whitening hair, “I have to keep appearances up though- Malichi has never cared for the drow- especially the drow of my family.”
“All because of one curious, banished drow by the name of Drizzt Do’Urden more than three thousand years ago? Absurd,” the vampire prince chuckled. “They take no heed in your name, so why would they recoil at your true appearance?”
Ryan didn’t have the time to reply as there was a knock on the door and he quickly reverted to his brown-hair, brown-eyed self, “Come in,”
As it was Shannon and Johanna who entered, Ryan reached up and grasped Shannon’s hand, drawing her around and bringing her down to sit beside him while pressing on the bridge of his nose with his free hand, “Jason have I ever mentioned that you excel in giving me headaches?”
“Once or twice,” Jason smirked, sitting behind the desk and propping his feet up on it, his hands behind his head.
“Who are you four, really?” Shannon’s inquiry was almost a demand and Ryan couldn’t deny that she had every right to demand answers from them.
“I am Jason-Alekzander Wylde Yaets, High Prince of the Vampire kingdom and head of security for my cousin- your new fiancé.”
“I’m Thomas Jacob Halloway, vampire and bodyguard of Ryan.”
“Chase Sanders Robertson, likewise, I’m also a vampire and bodyguard of Ryan...”
“And comedic relief,” Jason added, laughing.
Ryan sighed and stared at the floor as he answered, “And I am Ryan-Christopher Landon-Michael Kyo Wylde Do’Urden, vampire, drow and human, Crown Prince of Malichi and...” he admitted, “A drow warrior by no means in favor of Lolth, nor do I ever wish to be- she is damnable.”
“And you?” Shannon just about snapped, looking up at Johanna, “Have you any secrets like theirs?”
“I am elven and human,” she whispered, “And only as of this morning, by the Crown Prince’s sincerest request, your bodyguard as Chase and Tommy are Ryan’s.”
Ryan sensed Shannon closing in on herself, feeling out of place as the only true human in the room, and one so very left in the dark. Jason was the one to voice Ryan’s thoughts, “We’ve kept these secrets up until now for your own safety, Shannon- there are things in this world beyond what the human race outside of Malichi and Baenre knows of- there is a reason our countries don’t show up on maps...for if what creatures remain here under the belief that the world is only as big as Malichi, Baenre and the Underground discover that there is much more to the world, the human race has the remote potential of ceasing to exist once they’ve gotten away from the islands.”
“From now on,” Ryan spoke up, “No more secrets- we are all friends here and Shannon deserves to know us for who- and what- we are.”
“So be it,” Jason challenged, shooting Ryan a pointed look.
He sighed and got up, crossing the room to look out one of the big windows, once again allowing his brown hair and eyes to disappear- because of how many generations were between Ryan and Drizzt, his skin was not the ebony of his fore-father’s pure drow blood, but his eyes were the same lavender shade and his hair the same thick, white mane. Not since Drizzt himself had his family seen those lavender colored orbs.
When the door opened and closed quickly, Ryan couldn’t bring himself to go after Shannon. Was it the next several days...or weeks that he didn’t see her?
She avoided him at all costs- the only person she permitted into her suite of rooms at Thornfield was Johanna- but still, Ryan didn’t let go. He promised Shannon he wouldn’t and kept true to his promise, locking himself in his study and every other day calling upon the sleek black panther that had once been his fore-father’s only companion. Guenhwyvar. “How long will this go on, friend?” he asked, rubbing the cat’s thick neck. A knock made the feline’s ears perk up and gently, Ryan said, “Go home and rest, dear Guenhwyvar- you’ve been nothing but patient with me these past many weeks.” when the cat had returned to her Astral plane through the panther shaped figurine on his desk, Ryan rose to his feet and went to open the door.
Chase was there waiting, “Johanna says Shannon plans to come see you in fifteen minutes.”
That brought a smile to his lips and Ryan put a hand on his friends shoulder, “Thanks Chase...I’m going to trust you to not let them get lost.”
“They won’t Ryan...unless I get lost too!”
He shook his head laughing as Chase left, but stopped abruptly when a thought crossed his mind and he turned to the bookshelves that lined one whole wall of the room, “Where are you?” he muttered, scanning the shelves, grinning again when he found the book he was searching for, “Now, Drizzt Do’Urden...tell me where your infamous Menzoberranzan is hiding...”
The ancient drow city wasn’t the only thing that was lurking in the shadows...

“Father, I tell you, for all the Nine Hells sake, leave Ryan and Malichi alone! You have no business in that country.”
“Who are you to tell me- the King- what to do?!” Zak growled, getting his son to return to his seat, angry and brooding. “I will kill Ryan and his little human wretch, I will conquer Malichi and you will keep your mouth shut or so help me I will kill you myself!”
Jason glared daggers at his father, but knew he would hold true to his promise if he returned to Malichi and informed his cousin of the vampires’ plan. He had been summoned home by his father to sit in on the war meetings and planning sessions for the impending attack that would ultimately eradicate anything and everything that was Malichi- unfortunately, Jason knew that fact all too well.
An idea struck him suddenly, but he dared not show it, keeping his brooding glare fixed upon his murderous father- the man that had killed not only Ryan’s father, but Jason’s mother and several of his sisters as well. Yes, unbeknownst to Zak, Jason knew what his father had done- the murders he had committed. Jason wasn’t stupid- he was clever, conniving, and couldn’t wait to find a solution to kill his father...and he had just found that solution.
Yes...Jason would go to Dragon Point the very first chance he got.