Binding a Shield was like using a coupon code: it only worked once. The witch who we had enlisted explained to me that it was more about changing my body chemistry than Sarah’s. I would be both immune to her power and immune to any others, including a werewolf bite or a witch’s spell while she was around. So while Selene was withering in the weakness of being human, I would be in full transformation.
When I found out it only worked once, I thought for sure that Connor was going to beat me into a pulp. The relationship between Sarah and Connor had developed into something quite deep and quite serious. The conversation that I heard them having surprised me; they were already planning well into their future. Part of it worried me; after all, Sarah was a rebound girl after a 500 year relationship. But Connor was showing no signs of distress, and it made me wonder if there really was The One for everyone.
And if there was, Amy was certainly it for me.
Things had been amazing since our waterfall picnic. I wouldn’t say things were the same, because they weren’t. There were little differences here and there; she was different than before, and yet, it was a difference I liked.
The theater was already in full chaos mode when I got there. Everyone seemed to be going in different directions and shouting different things at each other. I heard at least four conflicting instructions before I made it to the stage.
“Alright, everyone, listen up!” I called, my voice ricocheting off the walls. Everyone turned. “I’m going to go through this from the top in thirty minutes. That means you have fifteen minutes to finish what you are doing and then I expect everyone to be in costumes. So let’s get moving!”
I was fixing Amy’s front lace corset, admiring the view from above, when I heard the door open.
“Unless you’re part of the show, we’re locked down!” I called.
A quiet, deep voice answered me back, “I think we’re part of the show.”
I looked up, stunned, to find Steve and the others standing at the door, en masse. Grabbing Amy’s arm, and ignoring her cry of surprise as her corset was half open, we flew down the stairs towards them. Steve stepped forward from the group, bowing his head.
“Liam, please accept our apology. We have acted foolishly.”
I stood, stunned, my arm around Amy. “Steve, no one is forcing you to return. If you don’t choose to fight this battle…”
“This is our battle to fight, and we were foolish to forget it,” he said, and the others nodded. I found the older a vampire was, the less they tended to say. “That is, if there is still a place for us.”
“I’m sure we could manage something.” I smiled, reaching out to shake his hand. “Thank you, guys.”
“Thank you,” Amy piped up from beside me, smiling up at them. I was glad that she seemed relieved; I had wondered if she would be angry at them for abandoning us. “I can take care of it, Liam. Connor and Sarah can integrate them back into the show, I’m sure.”
“That’s great.” I glanced back to the stage, where Connor and Sarah were descending down the steps to greet them.
Soon there was more chaos, as others noticed their former classmates had returned. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I stuck my head into the hallway to look for a costumer and came face to face with Thomas DeRitter and about thirty Shields behind him. Even though it was daytime, the force of their power stopped me in my tracks.
“What are you doing here?”
Thomas smiled so slightly that if I blinked, I would have missed it.
“Since we are part of the show, we thought we should be around to see how it would go.”
“You’re just going to be ushers,” I blurted out, and then immediately regretted my words, from the look on his face. “But of course, you can come in… Thank you for coming.”
“Selene’s ticket is not confirmed until closing night, is that correct?”
“Yeah.” I held open the door and they glided in, as if they were royalty.
The remaining vampires on the stage turned, feeling their power, and I signaled briefly to leave it be. Still, they couldn’t help but stare at the Shields, coming in single file and standing as if they were waiting for someone to pull out the chairs for them. Even I felt diminished in their presence, there was something regal about them. There was also something stuck up about them, and I exchanged a glance with Amy, who was warming up. She smiled at me, reassuringly.
“If you want to sit here,” I said, “and watch the first run-through of the show, you’ll have a better idea of what is happening when. But it’s the party scene, like we discussed, and you’ll see Connor come into the audience to get someone…”
Thomas nodded, and they filed in, sitting and crossing their arms, as if theater was the lowest form of entertainment possible. I decided to leave them be, and headed backstage.
“Alright, everyone who is not actually in this production, it’s time to clear out, now!” I bellowed, moving through the wings. My heart was pounding in anticipation as the lights dimmed and I heard the opening strains of music start.
To my relief, none of the vampires seemed to have forgotten their roles and blended in perfectly with the actors. And my actors were trained enough to step back and make roles of their own. There were few times when I felt I was doing a good job, and this was one of them.
Somewhere in the second scene, I came down from the wings to sit beside Thomas, who was watching the stage with fascination.
“My daughter…” he said in a half-strangled voice, “was she as brilliant as they say?”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“She was beauty itself. You never saw her perform?”
“No,” he said, watching every aspect of the show. “But seeing this stage, I can only imagine.”
We watched in silence for a few moments before he leaned over again. “Is Sarah aware of what we wish her to aspire to?”
“Please.” I met his eyes. “There’s nothing worse than a distracted actor, especially when we have to pull off something as complicated as this. After this is over…”
“I understand,” he said, and leaned forward again.
To my surprise, we got to the middle of act two, past the party scene, without anyone doing anything too horrible. There were a few things I made note of, in my head, but it wasn’t anything major. However, in scene three of the second act, Charlie opened his mouth to sing the Phantom’s big number and promptly choked. He tried twice before I stood up.