Wise Words

"There's always a way, Bill. Always." She nibbled on her lower lip softly. "I am not allowed to directly interfere, what has been set in motion must play out. Many more…will die. And for that I am sorry, so so sorry. But what has been torn down can be built up again." She knew it was cryptic, but had no choice. Her bond with him now both simplified and yet made more complex the nature of their relationship. Although, the Gods knew she had altered fate before. And paid dearly for it.

Stepping back, ready to catch him if he seemed unsteady again, she held up both hands towards him, palms out and culled her energy, sending out a silent signal that was answered instantly. A bright light formed, a pulsing ball of flame and smoke, the air crackled with power and promise as something took shape in her hands, slowly at first then all at once. "After a while, I learnt to be crafty with some things…" She explained as the sphere began to shimmer. "Humans call them loopholes. But I prefer to herald them as failsafes more than anything."

A snap of thunder and in her hand lay a pocketwatch; the unique and masculine design of her personal emblem, the Phoenix, gracing it. She held it out to Bill. "I am trusting you with this, William. I can't become directly involved, no….but he can…" She nodded at the phoenix on the cover, smiling at the befuddled look on Bill's face. "He is ….all that is left of the race that bred my sisters and I. He can be a grumpy old bird…" The pocket watch rattled, a billow of smoke rising from inside of it in response. A response that had her laughing. "See? But he can help you as is not bound the codex I am. Unlike most males…" She teased softly, "This one listens to when a woman asks him to do something. Mostly without complaint."

Moving closer to Bill, she blinked up at him myopically. "My sisters don't even know of his existence. His name is Valerian. All I can offer you is his name and another. Shangrai-La." She stepped back slowly now. "Valerian will know what to do when the time is right. But Bill? Only…ONLY as a last resort, do you understand me?"

Bill had never felt more confused in his entire life, taking a step back as he watched magic appear before his every eyes. He had never seen something like this before because he never knew what to expect from Clotho.

Holding out his hand as he accepted the pocket watch as he observed it as another puff of smoke seeped through the seams scolding his hand for a few seconds before it died down again. A Phoenix. He had never seen such a thing and had always believed such magic was only a myth contained in the pages of novels. The last novel that he had been reading that had taken his mind to a whole new world of New Camelot. Hearing her stern warning that it was only to be used as a last resort, he simply nodded to her instruction.

"You have my word Clotho...I will not misuse your magical gift. This I swear to you" he promised faithfully to her.

*She held his stare a long time before nodding. Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek once more before giving him a warm hug. Hugs were wonderful things. Another reason she much preferred Earth to Olympus. Such cold beings…Olympians. Affection was a foreign concept to them.*

"Now, go feed your progeny. And feed her well. But Bill?" She frowned quickly then it was gone. "I must ask you to only share what you are now with very, very few, if at all. Jessica adores you this much I know, she may very well accept anything you say at face value. But if she persists, you have my permission to tell her so that she can summon me as well, should she ever need me."

She stilled suddenly, letting out an irritated huff before grumbling low. "I must go, William. Gods forbid I fly under the radar too long or it gets noticed. More than likely, Atty ratted me out to Papa. She does that. A lot." Violet eyes held his again. "When you need to feed, just call me. Do NOT starve yourself. I am your personal sippy straw…." She giggled a bit, having heard that phrase in some book she'd just finished. "I'll see you soon, William. Namaste…."

Then she was gone in blast of lavender light and the smell of fresh heather. She'd go home. But Starbucks first….*

"I promise....I shall remember" he promised his Goddess.

Bill did not want her to go as he felt calm and free from any judgement when in her presence but understood why she had to leave. He did not want any other vampire catching her scent and to put her life in danger. Shielding his eyes as a bright spurt of violet flashed before his eyes and her heavenly scent that she left in her wake, she was gone.

Gazing upon the pocket watch he admired it carefully, he needed somewhere safe to put this without anyone discovering it. He would protect this very item with his life.