We happily returned to Isadora's place a few days later. I was on the roof when I heard someone ask another to stab him and use fake claws to maul him. It was an attempt to rile up the Nocturnals. I am supposed to be the judge so they will have no choice but to wake me up. He said he grew up on stories about Piedra de la Luna. How I would extend the shield and watch over everyone. I would inform the authorities about anything irregular and both humans and others would quickly deal with it. It was a good system. No crime and absolutely no zombies. People lived in opulence. There was free medicine. Everyone was equal. There was no such thing as hierarchy. They simply informed the emperor of the day's problem and he would send a care package before the person was finished talking about his grievances. He was amongst those who want me to wake up. He was told growing up that I don't sleep. I have been awake for hundreds of years. So the Nocturnals must have figured out a way to induce sleep. He believes that the Nocturnals will have no choice but to wake me up. He is not interested in losing loved ones anymore. He wants to do anything to convince us to wake me up. The other guy retorted that it would be better if they just find these labs and blow them to smithereens.
I had unknowingly connected with my family and they heard everything. They used acoustic speakers to sense where the conversation was. They used the private cameras to record it and while he was being so vocal the video was openly broadcasted on all platforms. The public was divided. One half wanted to see my shield. The other half agreed to level the labs. But the problem was there are new and deadly ones in cages which comes out once the labs are breached. It is as though they are part of security. This has frightened everyone to avoid the places. The lab is always situation deep in the earth. I would call it subterranean levels but these days a few idiots were brave enough to make them above ground in a high rise. The military would show up at the academy and try to commandeer the place. They behaved like it was written in their grandma's will. I remember my friends used to say it was bestowed to them by their ancestors. I recalled Cain laughing hysterically. As Terrance kept staring at me as I recalled all my days in Ravencroft.
We would get hosed to prove we weren't vampires and hold a silver necklace to prove we weren't werewolves. The old general would walk around the place and ask the headmistress if they could leave a few men posted here. She would tell him to get lost. A few visits later the shriveled prune had demanded she leave the entire property and take us students with her in tow. Everyone nearby started snickering. I remembered the day we finally got the eviction notice. He finally got his request and he evicted us from the academy. He dare follow us to Winter and demanded it too. The headmaster made it clear if we weren't werewolves or vampires now then it is less likely we will be one in the next few months. Since all outside contact is through chatrooms and phonecalls. He was only allowed one visit. We had mananged to stay in for at least a few months. I was about to pass out at a class when an army of chompers mysteriously showed up. We managed to get into an SUV and get out. The entire drive to find our relatives the girls were screaming the military did it. I mean they did leave bombs after they were evicted from the prison. They were assisting in the illegal experiments on zombies. Thankfully I managed to find and throw them away before the place was an open buffet for the chompers roaming outside.
I remember Shaw shooting mom in the head. I remember the blood thirsty rage I felt as I ripped out his heart. I remember comforting orphans as I felt my whole world collapse. I wanted the earth to swallow me. After we settled in the farm I cried for three days and three nights and Karolina made me do chores. The kids would keep me company after they come home from school. I watched the kids grow up to be awesome. I felt a sense of nostalgia as I recalled the day I freed Cain. I felt like I recovered a lost treasure. The werewolves stared. I made sure to rescue as many people as I could. I made sure everyone slept on a full stomach. I remember one night when Cain was preoccupied and I chased him through the town and dragged back to stuff him to his gills. The entire time he was laughing. He assured me my cooking was fine. I reminded him of the most important house rule. No one ever skips meals. Afterwards we talked about the problems we faced and how we can fix it. I loved Valentina. It took hard work but the place went through several phases to become self sufficient. I made sure we were not going to depend on anyone else. The last time I was there I noticed that my old home had become a billion dollar estate. All the influential members of society were fighting for an invite. The rumor that it was a place where the Nocturnals lived was never proven.
The emperor ordered that I should be moved to the palace in Sōhkē. My home was immaculate as ever but I was moved to the crown jewel. I was invisible the entire time. I made sure the sensors can't detect me. I sensed a group of humans in tactical gear climbing the wall. My dear family who is a senator made it clear the Nocturnals are my coven so I can't be separated from them. Also no one is allowed to collect any biological samples from me either. I warned the perimeter guards and they quickly got ready. Sam ordered the magna guards to put me in the box and place it as a part of the decorum in the throne room. They made sure I drank a few blood bags. I had to look like the mummy before I was put inside. I took a deep breath and lay still as they closed the lid. I pretended to sleep as the men barged in and started shooting. The ceiling was magnetised so all the rounds got stuck in the ceiling. Bear used an immobilizer. I sensed all their weapons got yanked and were stuck on the ceiling. Sam asked the president if he had sent these people. He denied it outright. Tessa came and bit one of them to find out who sent him. It was the secretary of defense.
He was arrested and dragged to the palace where he was eaten alive. The men who snuck in were sent back to civilization after their memories were wiped clean. I was allowed out and Sam asked me if I was cluster phobic. I told him I was fine. I had rougher time when I raised kids than inside that thing. It was cold but bareable. I was escorted back upstairs. I took a shower and a change of clothes. I sat down to read a book. I noticed the zombies moving around under the city. The ones under the palace was cleared out for safety reasons. But everywhere else had them in the sewers by the thousands. I was practicing ballet when the president came to apologise. I was dolled up and mummified before they put me back in the sarcophagus to his me. I stayed inside with the air of boredom. I made sure to conserve my breathing as I listened to both of them talk about everything. He believed the Nocturnals should have a democratic election. Sam explained we don't vote our leaders. The leaders are chosen by natural selection and the others follow them. Everyone already have a fixed position. They are trained to perfection so to give them a different role is like being a fish out of water.
The absolute laws were placed to make sure there is no infighting occurs. He asked my family members in the throne room if they wanted an election. They disagreed in one voice. The president was surprised by our unity. I felt proud of my family. One of the members of the president decided he has had enough. So all of his security tried to overtake my family. The Pretorian guards was about to use the destabiliser. Out of nowhere a human employee popped up to distracte them. My family was overtaken. I wanted very much to help but I couldn't open the box. I begged Sam to let me out. He kept his ground. I don't want my family to die. The old man was angry that everyone was so united. He ordered his men to use a sledge hammer and smash the place. He smashed the top half of my box. He swung the hammer and smashed an expensive vase. He wanted Sam to tell him the truth. He knows the unity is very fragile. They are still creating weapons to kill each other but for some reason they never engage in mutual combat. He grinned, "Old habits die hard" he thought out loud, 'Sorry Sasha' he can feel the anger radiating from me. I have one rule come to common term to stop the useless infighting.
Sam activated the ceiling and I heard a bang which meant the hammer was up in the ceiling along with all the other weapons. The previous assailants had undergone the compulsory memory wipe so they don't remember the huge magnet. The president and his men sat still while the others fought the bad guys. One of the werewolves tore a man in a security outfit. He was tossed in my direction. Blood started dripping and I saw what they were planning. They were here to create discord and then go up to the lower orbit as they detonate the walls to let the zombies in. Once enough people were they were going to kill the zombies and repopulate the earth. I asked Sam to let me out. He told me my family is handling the situation. I laid still till the bad guys were dead. Regon reminded Sam that once the blood drips I am supposed to wake up. Everyone can see my headdress and the president is getting suspicious. Sam took a deep breath and ordered me to come out. I stuck my hand through the smashed marble. I gripped several times for show and slowly pulled myself out of the box. I coughed a few times as blood dripped from my clothes and my hair. I flipped to lay down on my back as I tried to catch my breath.