---"Bitter For Sweet" Sec. III---

 Bitter For Sweet

Sec III

(Split POV)

<<Pete's POV>>

   I met up with our coven leader, Davey Havok, in the parking lot. He was leaning against a steel pole, his broad shoulders standing out with the dark suit he had changed into.

    I hadn't changed, but was in the school uniform that I thought made me look somewhat formal.

    Davey walked up to me and handed me a pair of keys. I looked around; in search of the old black SUV we were only allowed to drive. "Where's the car?" I asked when my search was unsuccessful.

   "You're driving the Porsche." Davey tapped his teal nail polish on the hood of the red Porsche. It was in perfect condition, the car of my dreams, with no scratch in sight. Davey never let anyone drive it before because it was his personal vehicle, so I was obliged to ask again to make sure I wasn't dreaming. "T-the Porsche?" I stuttered.

    Davey nodded and I jumped up out of excitement.

    "Now, do not get too overjoyed Peter, or I will change my mind and drive instead." He warned.

    "Okay," I said, trying to get my emotions under control. "It's just such a privilege..." I trailed off when I saw that Davey cocked his brow.

  I cleared my throat. "Sorry sir." I apologized, and got into the driver's seat. I got to be in the Porsche! Score! I got to drive it! Double score! Now, this is something to brag about! I thought.

    I started the engine once Davey was in the car and drove in the direction of Eastberthen. "What's the meeting for, sir?" I asked with curiosity, driving over the legal speed limit so we'd get to Eastberthen as soon as possible, just as the Havok desired.

   "Albaum wants his ex-region of the coven back and I called for the rest of the members of the High Council to tell him once more that it is in my possession, and no longer his. You do remember Albaum, do you not?"

   I nodded. How could I not? Vince Albaum used to control all the region  in the 1700s that Davey owns now present-day. At the turn of the century, Vince's coven started to fall apart. The vampires under his control no longer liked the way he handled situations and his laws. They rebelled against him and started their own coven instead. Of course there were some with no direction that needed a leader, but no longer wished for it to be Vince. At this time, Davey had been just one of his many apprentices, fresh to the vampire scene.

            The Havok had studied the politics for the Dark Beings, learning from the wisest and the best. He took a huge risk by trying to control the remaining ruins of Albaum's organization. If Vince had had more power at the time, he would've tortured Davey in the worst ways possible, even might have starved him. But he wasn't so he had no say in what happened. Davey carried on with his plans, and even though he was still young in vampire terms (he was only one and a half centuries old) Albaum's organization fell under his command, reconstructing and improving everything involving the coven, satisfying his followers. Ever since Davey has ruled and made his coven one of the most powerful and important covens in the world, Vince challenges the Havok every fourth of a century or so, attempting, but failing miserably to win over his land.

   ''Well, I guess I'll have to take him down once again,'' Davey sighed, knowing he'd win this ''battle'' like he'd done so many times before. I turned on the CD player, Daft Punk blasting through the car speakers. Davey smiled faintly with satisfaction.

     *         *       *          

The rest of the drive was quiet and uneventful, with only the band's music filling the air and Davey's occasional theatrical sighing, but at the rate we were driving, the trip was not long and we were arriving to Eastberthen in just a few hours.

   The weather had changed, I noticed (yes, I’m super-observant), from what it had been like in Hawthorne. In Eastberthen, the sky was a deep gray, and the dark clouds that hung overhead guaranteed rain in the near future. I parked the bright red Porsche carefully into a parking space near the front entrance of Whitesides' Hall, not wanting to hurt the red beauty.  We piled out of the car, entering the building, and taking an elevator upstairs to the conference chamber. Davey's expression was unreadable, as always, leaving me to ponder what was on his mind.

   We descended from the stainless steel elevator in complete silence, and onto the linoleum floor of the corridor leading to the chamber.

            Blanca Van Dyke, one of the High Council's many escorts (NOT LIKE THAT!) was waiting patiently for us there. She inclined her head in a small bow as she saw the Havok, and led us into a rather large conference room. The room was adorned with fancy and ancient looking velvet drapery outlined in gold. The walls were a pure white. A glass table stood at the center of the room and the High Council members lined it. They were all dressed in formal clothing, evening gowns and suits.

   DxH took a seat at the end of the table. I gulped. Standing before me were some of the most powerful vampires, the members of the Dark Being High Council of the West Coast Region. They made decisions that affected all vampires. Blanca motioned for me to take a seat next to the Havok, so I did.

   "The meeting has commenced," Blanca announced in a loud, clear voice.

    "What is the issue that you have brought to us, David?" Andre Devareux asked.

    "Albaum is attempting, yet again, to invade my coven and to take over," The Havok explained. "He's misleading a lot of my Dark Beings, lying to them about my intentions in attempt to turn them against me. Of course my Dark Beings are not falling for it, they are much brighter than that, believe me. I find what Albaum is doing pathetic and foolish. I've come here today to ask you, my dearest friends and powerful allies, to explain to him that this is MY coven and it is no longer in his possession."

   "Albaum, what do you have to say about this?"

    "That land and those Dark Beings are STILL mine!" Albaum protested, clearly desperate to convince the High Council. "I built up that Empire! Not the Havok, and it is completely unfair that you have let that, that child to control it for so long! I am urging you to let me, the real owner of that coven, control it! I shouldn't even have to ask you for this!"

   "Have you done what the Havok accuses you of?” Alexander Farro repeated.

       "Look, this is treason! Everyone here knows that I am the rightful owner of--"

   "Answer me!" Farro demanded, cutting him off.

   For a minute the two men stared at each other, the tension hanging in the air. "Yes, I have,'' Albaum finally admitted.

   "You know that this belongs to David, Vince, and you still keep trying. We have repeated this to you several times before, this isn't the first time I've heard this pointless argument. We're going to tell you what we told you over 200 years ago: David's coven is David's coven. We are...thankful for what he has done for the Dark Being community,'' at this he looked at the Havok, who nodded in acknowledgement," If you fail to understand this, we'll have to take...drastic measures which we don't wish to take. Being a member of the Dark Being High Council of the West Coast Region is a privilege, and a privileged that can also be revoked." Farro gave Albaum a stern look.

   "But--"Vince stopped himself, his self-control finally kicking in, and sighed a sigh of defeat.

  I looked over at the Havok, and his eyes were fixed on Albaum, as well as everyone else's were, and there was also a faint but visible victorious smile on his thin lips.

   "Can I not, at least, share some of the power of the coven, like second in command or an advisor? Something like that?"

   "Most certainly not!" Bewilderment was in the Havok's voice and played on his face. "I want my coven to have nothing to do with you!"

   Plus I'm the second on command! I wanted to scream, but I didn't think I could take everyone's eyes on me and the look of disappointment on Davey's face.

   Vince looked angry, but desperate. "But you must--"

   "No he mustn’t!" Andre confirmed. "If it is David's belief that you are not suitable a leader to be part of his organization, then you won't be. Even if we, the High Council, were in your favor, we couldn't press for David to involve you in such affairs.  The High Council cannot, nor any other Dark Being that is not part of David's coven, have any say or have any control over who has what rank whatsoever in that coven. It is the Coven leader's duty and responsibility to take care of such matters. You've been in this system for decades, centuries even, and I am truly surprised and disgusted that I must repeat such things to you that you already know. I do not comprehend your childish behavior."

    Vince let out a cry of frustration, inaudible to even the sharpest of human ears. In fact, the whole room was silent, and it was making me nervous.

  One of the oldest of the members started speaking before I went berserk, and the meeting continued.

*  *  *

   It took some time for the meeting to end, and until Davey and I were finally outside, I noticed it was evening.  The sky was a washed pink and orange hue, and the sun was setting over the horizon. To a human this would seem beautiful, but seeing it over a few hundred years, for me it got old.

   Davey and I were the last ones exiting Whitesides' Hall. We had a delay, because Davey was caught up talking to Mr. Alexander Farro.

   So I was outside, waiting for him, doing nothing to hide my impatience, but not wanting to interrupt the Havok's conversation. I didn't try to listen, because even with my abnormal hearing ability, it all sounded like murmurs. They talked so quickly and quietly, it was hard to catch on to what they were saying.

   I was about to turn around and head to the car to wait for Davey there, but instead I found myself face-to-chest with one of the strong-built men that accompanied Albaum.

   I had to look up to actually catch a glimpse of his face that I found looking back at me with cold eyes. He shoved me hard and I lost my balance. Behind him I saw Vince smiling menacingly at me. He was standing amongst some of his men.

   I was much too frightened and stunned to react (or do anything for that matter) as the buff guy shoved me again. He suddenly, and surprisingly, stopped and looked beyond me. I unconsciously followed his gaze to see the Havok standing there, tight-lipped.

   "Leave him alone Vince,'' he said, an edge to his voice.

   The smile disappeared from Albaum's face and slowly his people moved back.

  "You better watch your back, Havok,"Vince spat angrily in a voice that sounded like it was supposed to be intimidating. He shot a dirty look at us. I winced, cowering back unintentionally.Davey, though, seemed unaffected by Vince's threat and just stared at him blankly. It made him upset and clearly uncomfortable that Davey was not shaken. He gave us one last glance and reluctantly moved away with his posse.

 *            *            *

   <<Addie's POV>>

   I waited impatiently for my dad Michael to arrive with my bags he was bringing from home. If I haven't mentioned it before, the high school I'm attending, Hawthorne is a boarding school. It was later in the day, when all my classes had ended.

   A sudden breeze sent shivers up my spine and I desired my hoodie now more than ever. My thoughts were cut short, however, when my ears picked up the familiar low humming of a vehicle far off in the distance. I adjusted my black thick-rimmed glasses as I looked over into the clear horizon to spot Michael's car speeding up towards the front parking lot of the school.

   He parked right in front of me and handed me the bags.

   "How was your first day?" he asked, trying to put some enthusiasm into the lame question, but it sounded like he was reading it right out of a cue card.

   "It was OK. There are a couple of nice kids here,'' I answered. He fidgeted with his car keys.

   Michael finally made eye contact with me and gave me a superficial smile. I could tell he was dying to break off this pointless small talk and get back to the safety of his car, so I put us out of our misery and ended it.

   "So I guess I'll see you..." I said, leaning over to pick up my bags. He gave me a friendly nod and got into the car. I know that at a time like this you were suppose to hug or something, since I wasn't going to see him again at least until the weekend, but the movie magic didn't happen. My father wasn't very good at playing the 'parent role'.

   I gave him a finger wave and watched him drive away. O my Goth, both of us were so bad at this...

   "Your dad?" I turned around to see Jade standing behind me, smiling. I nodded. "Want some help with that?" He pointed to the bags.

   "Uh, sure.'' He picked them up and we walked back into the school and into the elevator.

   "Have you met your roommates yet?" Jade asked when we had stepped out of the elevator and onto the carpeted floor of Level 2.

   "No, actually, I haven't,'' I responded.

   ''These bags are pretty heavy,'' Jade commented as we walked towards my dorm room. “Good thing I'm here to help or you'd have to carry 'em all by yourself. What've you got in here, sports gear?"

   I laughed. "No! Sports aren't my strong point. At all. Or do I strike you as an athletic person?"

      "Not really,'' he admitted. "I'm not good with sports, either. I know people probably assume I'm good at basketball or something because of my height, but I suck miserably at nearly everything."

   "Good to know I'm not alone," I said, grinning. "Although I've got to say, your arms are kind of buff for a non-athletic guy."

   "Looks can be deceiving." He gave me a lopsided grin as he abruptly stopped. I wasn't completely sure why he had, and that's when I realized we had arrived at our destination.

   "Well, in case you need me for anything, I'm across the campus in the boys' dorm building, Level 3, Room A." He smiled sweetly.

   What were his intentions in telling me this?What did it mean? "Okay. Thanks for the help."

  "Sure, anytime." He put down the bags in front of my dorm room door "Catch you later."

   "Later, Jade." He made his way into the elevator again as I dug inside my jeans pocket to grab the key. I took the room key they had given me during the day of the tour yesterday and unlocked the door, unsure of what I was going to find inside. Maybe I'd be with one of the girls from lunch.

   To my surprise, I found the wall to my left completely bare, save the diplomas and certificates decorating the top of the wall. On top of the bed sat a girl about my age with a book in hand, completely sucked into it. She didn't even look up as I entered the room.

   The right wall was a totes different story. It was covered with religious (of all things) posters of proverbs and illustrations from the Bible, with sketches of God framed up and at least 3 different types of crucifixes. On the bookshelf next to the bed were prayer books and a copy of the bible, open with a rosary being used as a bookmark. A girl who was organizing the books now turned towards me.

   "You must be the other room mate. Adelaide, right?" She said getting up. She extended her hand towards me for a handshake. "I'm Laura." I took it and she smiled at me.

  "And this is Selene." Laura gestured towards a girl who was sitting on her bed, a book in hand. She didn't seem to acknowledge my presence. Laura turned towards her wall and gave a 'holy' vow, seeking for me to follow her, I presume. I didn't want to be rude so I did the same, although I practiced no religion. I vowed and moved my hand and across my face, pretending to cross myself when I had really forgotten how to.

  "Don't I have you in my biology class?" Selene asked suddenly.

   "Uh..." I responded, not remembering the sea of new faces.

   "Oh, ya, ya. You are." She answered for me. I kicked my bags over to the empty bed in between the two.

   "So you're new to Hawthorne, huh?" Laura said. I nodded as I started unpacking my stuff.

   "Well, I hope the Lord blesses you with a good time here." She smiled and her eyes darted to Selene's bed.

"uh..thanks,I guess." I turned around weirded out and ready to unpack my bags.

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