Setting Moon Ch. 09

Lilliana awoke abruptly the next morning as she shot straight up. Tears streamed down her face as she remembered her dreams. She put her head in her hands and tried to rid herself of the horrible feeling that they would all soon be dead.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned swinging. But before she struck she realized it was Sam and fell into his arms. Sam was a bit shocked, but still pulled her in close. Once he felt she was calm Sam said, "What's the matter?"

Lilliana looked up into his eyes and said, "I fear we will all soon be dead, the first vampire is coming for me and Ericka. He can smell her and now we need help. Do you know the first werewolf?" Lilliana asked.

"I do not think he would make himself widely known. But we do have an eldest that comes and checks in about every six months. Maybe he would know, I will find out when he is coming next and set a meeting up for us. Alright now cheer up, no one is dying today, I promise." Sam said.

Just then there was a knock at the door, Sam then loudly said "Enter."

A man entered and walked towards them until he was only paces from the bed, "My Alpha, I apologize if I woke you but the council is requesting your presence immediately." The man said.

"Fine, tell them I am coming." Sam said.

"Apologizes my Alpha, but they are requesting to see both of you, in the large council room." The man said bowing.

Sam then looked at Lilliana who then nodded her head. "We will both be there soon. Now go." Sam said.

"Thank you." The man said bowing again and then he left their rooms.

"Unfortunately, it seems we must get dressed my love." Sam said sweetly.

She pushed her face into Sam chest and then said, "Fine." She then lifted her head and said, "But I'm wearing a gun." She finished as she rolled out of bed.

"You have all that power and yet you still feel the need to carry a gun." Sam said as he rolled off the other side of the bed.

They walk towards their closets and Lilliana said, "I am only still learning about my magic, there could be times when I can't access it and then what would I do." Sam just smiled and walked into his closet as Lilliana walked into hers.

"Does it matter what I wear?" Lilliana called to Sam.

"Nice but comfortable as always love." Sam called back.

Lilliana began looking through her clothes and then Sam appeared in the doorway wearing only pants and said, "Now that I think of it, we will be having a ball soon and all the old ones will come."

Lilliana looked at him strangely, "A ball really?" She questioned.

"Yes and I think I have something you would love to wear to it." He said pulling silver gown from behind his back. It was long and a halter style top and backless. Lilliana walked over to him a smiled as she took it. "You will look gorgeous in it as you should."

"It's beautiful, thank you." She said kissing him.

"Now get dressed they are waiting for us." Sam said and retreated back to his own closet.

Lilliana hung the dress up and then set to finding something to wear. She found that she liked the black dress pants she had worn the night before and found another pair hanging in the closet. She pulled them out and set them on an ottoman sitting in the middle of the room. She then looked at the shirts and found a blue low backed one with short sleeves that was mostly loose except where it cinched in at the bottom. She then found some lacy under wear and backless bra to put on and set to putting on her clothes, once dressed she enter her shoe room and looked at them all. She the settled her eyes on a pair of black stiletto heels with a silver toe piece and silver at the tip of the heel as well. She put them on and then opened her gun storage, she found a gun that would fit in her holster and the closed the gun doors and went back into her regular closet. She found her brown belt and holster hanging up above a dresser and then saw that Sam had placed several of the same design there in different colors. She found a black one with silver tips like her shoes and put it on and placed her new gun in the holster. She then walked out of her closet and into the bathroom where she brushed her hair, put on her new necklace and earrings and looked at her clothes. She liked the way she looked until she saw her back, covered in scars.

Just then Sam walked into the bathroom and saw what she was doing. He then said "No one will notice and if they do, they will only think you stronger for it. Wear it like a badge of honor and my people will respect you for it. And if any don't just punch them square in the face that will help."

Lilliana chuckled and then said, "Thanks, it makes me feel better about wearing that dress as well." She said looking back in the mirror then turning towards Sam. "Now what do you think?"

"I think I was right, you look stunning in everything." He said smiling and then said. "And me how do I look?"

Lilliana looked him over. He was wearing a black suit with a green button up underneath, showing just a little of his chest and black dress shoes. "Stunning as always." Lilliana said with a smile.

"Alright let's get going if you're ready that is?" Sam asked and Lilliana looked at herself once more in the mirror and then walked with Sam out of their rooms and into the hall. They went down their flight of stair and then ran into Eric and Ericka.

"Where are you off to?" Ericka asked.

"Some council meeting, why where are you going?" Lilliana asked.

"Same meeting I think." Ericka said looking a bit worried.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Lilliana said as they enter the dining room and saw the witches being brought into an opposite hallway.

'What is going on Sam?' Lilliana said through their link.

'I don't know but relax, everything will sort itself out. I promise.' Sam said through the link.

They then walked into the same hallway as the witches did and watched as they all walked into a room on the left. When Lilliana and her group reached the door they were motioned to walk in as well. Lilliana felt a little relieved that they would all be in the same room, but when she walked in she found the room was huge and it looked like the whole pack was there. There were stadium seats around a large open center where a long wooden table sat. Around it sat nine older men and left four open seats near the door.

The four of them were motioned to sit at the table and Lilliana looked up as she walked over to it and saw that the witches were scared. She wanted to tell them it would be alright but she couldn't. Then a man came up at her side and said, "Please sit here on the end, so we can all see you clearly."

"Thank you." Lilliana said sitting and then turned to find Sam seated on her left and Ericka seated on her right.

Then a man at the other end of the table stood and spoke loudly, "We are all here today to deal with a disturbing matter that our own Alpha and former Alpha have brought into our house. We seek to find the truth of these matters and deal with them appropriately." He sat back down and then said quieter but so the whole table could hear him. "My name is Demos and I am head of the council when the Alpha is not." He said this looking at Lilliana. "This," he said motioning to his right, "Is Cyrillus, Drest, Eadric and Erwin." He then motioned to his left and said "This is Euphemios, Faelan, Felix, and Dagger. The nine of us will make any decisions that need to be made today."

Lilliana had been sitting back in her seat but now sat up and looked Demos in the eyes. "Are we on trial for something?" Lilliana asked.

"You are on trial for the use of witchcraft and your friends," He said motioning to Ericka, Eric, Sam and the witches. "are here because they all lied to the pack about you and that is what they will stand trial for." Demos said.

Lilliana then spoke loudly, "We have lied to no one, we simply refrained from telling because we did not know what the packs reaction to the truth would be. In doing so we were protecting the pack from themselves." Lilliana said looking out over the pack.

"We will decide that for everyone and no one will question our decision." Demos said and looked down at some papers in front of him.

"Now late last night someone saw you and our Alpha having sex. They went to walk away but then saw fire burst out of nowhere. Do you deny that you were the cause of this fire?" Demos asked.

Lilliana then stood; Sam looked as if her was going to stop her but decided not to. Then Lilliana said as loud as the last time, "And what does the real answer matter, you seem to have made up your mind already and what will you do?" Lilliana pause and started to move around the table. "Burn me at the stake or drown me in the river and for what, if I burn or drown I wasn't a witch, but if I live I am one and you kill me anyway for it. We are not in Salem these are not the old days even though some of you may have been there does not make it right." Then a man came up to her and tried to move her back to her seat, Lilliana growled and said, "Do not touch me, I know where my seat is and I left it on purpose. Now be gone." She said in a stern voice.

"Move back to your seat witch or we will move you." Felix said.

Lilliana looked at Sam who looked a bit shocked and then the same man as before grabbed her arm, Lilliana smiled at Sam and then turned and punched the man square in the face. The man fell to the floor and Lilliana then turned and walked coolly to stand behind Sam's seat.

'I love you.' He paused, 'it will not matter what they say we will be together either way and so will our people.' Sam said through their link.

Lilliana then looked at Felix and said, "My name is not witch, it's Lilliana and that is what you will call me."

Demos then stole her attention when he began to speak, "You still have not answered the question. Are you a witch?"

Lilliana then put her hand on Sam's shoulder as if to reassure him and moved to stand at the end of the table. "Yes I am a witch and I would choose to be it even if it ends my life. The ability to protect my family and friends is a far greater honor than anyone could bestow upon me."

"Then you would choose not to mate with the Alpha and become one of us?" Eadric asked.

Lilliana looked at Sam and Sam nodded. She then pulled at the side of her shirt so that her mating mark showed. "I already have, my fate is set in stone and if becoming a werewolf and being with the one I love takes my magic then so be it. I will still protect my family and friends with my life. When I was only human I tried as much but I was not strong enough." Lilliana said hanging her head, but then looked up and said, "But I am much stronger now and nothing will stop me from protecting them." Lilliana then sat down in her seat and Sam leaned over and held her hand.

"How long have you been a witch?" Drest asked.

"I did not find out that I was a witch until after I met Sam. Before then I unknowingly used my power, not knowing what it was or where it came from." Lilliana said looking at Sam.

"How did you find out?" Drest asked again.

Ericka spoke now, "I told her she was."

"And how did you know?" Faelan asked.

Ericka first turned to Lilliana and said, "I am sorry for not telling you sooner what I am about to say." Ericka then turned to the council and said, "A true witches power comes from the angels, Lilliana is a direct descendent of one." She stopped.

"That did not answer our question." Felix said.

"I am the angel she is descendent from. That is how I know." Ericka said looking at Lilliana, "I am sorry, I didn't tell you." Lilliana looked shock and so did Sam.

Lilliana then said, "It's fine at least I know that I have some family I can talk to."

Ericka smiled and then looked back at the council as Dagger began to talk, "How do we know you are telling the truth?" he asked.

Ericka then stood and moved to stand behind Lilliana's chair. Ericka then closed her eyes and accessed her angel side, she the opened them and her wings appeared on her back, she then extended them. Making sure than everyone could see them.

"How do we know you are not a witch as well and are using this as trickery?" Dagger asked.

"Anyone who was at the hospital will tell you I was not human before we were attacked." Ericka said.

Then a man came up beside her and said, "May I speak to the council?" He asked and they nodded, he then looked to Ericka and said "Would it please you, if I spoke of your trials." Ericka nodded. Then the man moved to the side of the table and said.

"Many of you know me, for those of you who don't my name is Gealeian. I was witness to almost everything that happened at the hospital. When we arrived we smelled a vampire. We found out that Ericka was that vampire. Later she was badly injured; Lilliana was dying and the women," He said motioning to the witches. "saved them with a key and their combined power. But it did not only save Ericka it turned her human again." Gealeian said.

"Wait so all these women are witches and where is this key for proof?" Erwin asked.

Sam then stood and dug in his pocket, he then pulled out Lilliana's necklace with the key on it and handed it Lilliana. "This is the key." Ericka said as Lilliana held it up.

"And what proof do you have that it holds such magic?" Erwin asked.

Lilliana looked up at Ericka and then Ericka said loudly, "Is anyone here sick or injured in some way?" Ericka looked around the room but no one answered. "Lilliana set the key down on the table and stand over here with me." Ericka said and again she asked, "Is no one sick or injured, or is no one brave enough to come into our presence?"

Suddenly two men stood up and helped lift a man that was sitting in between them to his feet; slowly they made their way down to the table. Once next to the table one of the men said, "This is Godric. He was attacked by another pack only a few nights ago. He made us bring him here today. He is badly injured."

"Please place the key in his hand. We will do nothing and he will be healed." Lilliana said.

The man who spoke grabbed the key and placed it in Godric's hand. Then light expelled from his hand and then his body was enveloped in light. When the light dissipated, Godric stood healthy and strong, no longer needing the support of the other two men. He walked over to Lilliana and Ericka, held out the key and said, "Thank you, I was nearly dead and you helped save me. My mate will be so happy she may claim you as her own." He said smiling; Lilliana then took the key from his hand and place it around her neck.

She smiled and said "I already consider you family, if you would have us." Godric nodded and then turned and went back to his seat.

Lilliana and Ericka then moved back to their seats and Ericka put away her wings.

"Ericka you were a vampire correct? For how long?" Cyrillus asked.

"I was a vampire for over five thousand years." Ericka said.

"Then you must have been there for the three year war?" Cyrillus asked.

"Yes I was there." Ericka said hanging her head. Eric now grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"How many of our kind did you kill?" Cyrillus asked.

Ericka still hung her head and Eric watched as tears rolled down her face. "I killed thousands with my own hands." Ericka said so only the table could hear but did not raise her head.

"You killed thousands of us with your own hands and you would want us to accept you willingly into our home. And there's not a mark on you." Demos said with a chuckle.

Ericka then stood and walked over to Demos, a man tried to stop her but she just pushed him out of the way, he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor. She then grabbed Demos out of his chair and pulled him into the standing position. She then showed him her true self, her scars shown deeply. "You do not know me or what I have been through the past five thousand years; I never wanted to kill anyone. I was forced to by ones older than I. A council made the decisions then too and look where it got us." Ericka said in a loud voice and then turned to face the rest of the pack. "If we had decided on our own fate there would be hundreds of thousands still alive on both sides and we would dominate the earth instead of living in the shadows."

"When I was born on earth, I had a family and children with the arch angel Gabriel. We were sent to earth to do good and then a vampire found me and took my whole life from me. All I wanted even as a vampire was to be with my children and husband; I never would have hurt them. But some thought otherwise and so they were taken from me. I even tried to kill myself but I had a purpose that even the almighty would not let me escape." She said looking a Lilliana, "The same vampire who turned me later killed my children in cold blood as they slept next their families. I fought so I would live to one day be reunited with my family." She said walking over and placing a hand on Lilliana's shoulder. "I only killed so I would survive. After that war, the only men I have killed I did so to protect Lilliana. Her fate and life mean more to me than my own and I would give it up right now to ensure her safety." Ericka then sat back down and Lilliana watched as her scars disappeared.

"Good now that is settled, we still haven't seen Lilliana prove she's a witch and whether she is good or evil." Euphemios said and then looked at Lilliana, but Lilliana had her head in her hands looking down into her lap.

"Lilliana, what's wrong?" Sam asked her.

She looked up at him and said "Nothing." But through their link she said, 'Don't show it, but my whole body aches for something that I do not know what is. Help me to my feet please, but be graceful I do not what them to think I'm weak.'

Sam and Lilliana then rose from their chairs. Lilliana then used the table to stabilize her as Sam moved behind her and held her by her hips.

She then said to Ericka quietly, "Tell them to remove there things from the table."

Lilliana then closed her eyes and used Sam as her support leaning against him. Ericka then said loudly. "Please remove your things and body's from the table. If you want to keep them that is."

Eric and Ericka then pushed their chairs away from the table. And then the council member's did the same and grabbed their papers as they did.

"They are ready." Sam whispered into her ear. Lilliana then opened her eyes and put her hands out in front of her so that her palms were facing each other. The council members watched as Lilliana's eyes changed their color to silver and then magic began to fly through her fingertips. White light flowed from her and collected between her hands, she then slammed her hands down onto the table and suddenly the room grew cold, the table went white and ice started to form upon it. Cold winds started to blow through the room and then Sam said into her ear. "I think that's enough for them to tell you're the real thing." But Lilliana didn't stop; she didn't even acknowledge that Sam had said anything. "Lilliana?" Sam question and moved to face her. Cold wind slapped at his face as he turned to Ericka, "What's happening?" Sam asked her. But Ericka could not answer she was too cold to move her lips.

"He turned back to Lilliana and shook her, but still he got no response. He moved behind her and grabbed her mating mark but again nothing. He then realized what he must do he lifted up her shirt and gently touched the scar from where she had been shot. Instantly the room became warm again and the ice disappeared. Lilliana then leaned against him again and asked "What happened?"

"You nearly froze us all to death. You brought a winter storm into the room." Ericka said now standing at her side.

"I am sorry, I am still learning how to control my power." Lilliana said loudly and the said only to Ericka and Sam, "Ice? I was trying to create fire. Ericka can you explain the good and bad witches to the council?"