Bloods Gem (24 page)

She turned her cheek to me, when I tried
kissing her and hurried from the car when I dropped her off. I
hoped later I would be able to convince her to go to London, but
I’m unsure the timing is right. I sat inside our empty home
thinking all day. I was anxious to go help find my brother but
didn’t want to leave Faith unprotected. Different ideas ran through
my mind but none seemed right. There was an option I considered
that she might agree with. Persuading Celeste to come here and
watching over Faith at the house when I left for London.

I waited for her in the schools parking lot
on Friday, but she never came out. I went inside to look for her.
As I looked in the empty classrooms my phone beeped. I opened it
and there was a text from her.

Daniel sorry I left school early today. I
was feeling sick and had my mom pick me up. I’m okay, so don’t
worry. I’m going to go to bed early. I don’t feel so good. Ill call
you tomorrow.

I knew something was up. She doesn’t
normally do this sort of thing. I wondered why she didn't want to
be around me. I figured I would give her time to come around and
not ask anything of her just yet.

Okay Love, I hope you feel better. If you
need anything please let me know. I love you… Sweet dreams
Love.

It was hard being away from her. But I took
this time we had apart to hunt, something to waste time and help
sate my thirst. I went a few miles from our house where it was
mainly a deer population scattered about. After taking one down I
was done. I decided to sleep outside that night. I needed to get
away from everything. Closing my eyes I meditated listening to
nature and let myself go into spirit form.

I wanted to run by her house before I went
to talk to my sister in London. I approached the side of the house
and heard her talking. She was talking with someone. I drew closer
to listen and heard a man’s voice. Approaching from around the
corner, I saw two people sitting on the porch. As I drew nearer, I
saw it was Chris with his arm around Faith. I was hurt and began
shouting asking her he was here after I beat him down. I knew she
couldn’t hear me, so decided to just listen to what they were
talking about.

“
I’m confused Chris and I
keep having these nightmares that wont go away. Sometimes wish I
was never born!”

He was comforting her. “I know how you feel.
There have been many times I wanted to off myself, but I had my
friends and family there to help. Faith, I'll always be here for
you. No matter what happens between us. I hope you know it was
never my intention to hurt you. I would never hurt you like that
and I cant believe you thought I would.”

“
He’s lying Faith! Don’t
listen to this bullshit!” I yelled.

“
I hope your right Chris.
I don’t want to think you’re capable of something like that and I
like having you around. You make me feel better.”
I
couldn’t listen to this anymore. She took what I told her and
tossed it out the window. Like I’d been wrong the whole time about
this schmuck. If she needed her time, fine! I’d give it to her. I
ran back to the house to pack my stuff and go home to help with the
search.

Chris can keep her company since that’s who
she wanted to be around. I was so angry I wanted to go and kill him
where he stood. I was also angry that she wouldn’t let me in the
way she did with Chris. She was letting him take my place, and
comfort her and I wasn’t going to interfere with the choice she
made.

Making arrangements by phone I called
Celeste telling her I was on my way home. She asked about Faith and
I told her she’d be fine. Adrian was not in this area, and I would
check in to make sure she was safe in spirit form.

Celeste didn’t like the idea, but there was
nothing she could say to stop me. I had my mind made up and I
didn’t want to stay there any longer watching Faith and him “hang
out”. If I did, I would end up hurting him badly and enjoy every
minute.

I text Faith telling her my decision to
leave.

Faith, sorry to bother you and Chris, but I
wanted to let you know I wont be around for awhile. I have to help
my family look for my brother. I'll be back in a few months, just
do me a favor, if anything happens and you need me call. I'll check
up on you to make sure you're safe, but I think some distance is
needed. On both our parts. Talk soon, bye Faith.

She responded…

You’re spying on me again? Is this why
you’re leaving? Look, I just needed some time but that doesn’t mean
I’m choosing Chris over you. I just needed a friend and he’s been
apologizing to me a lot lately. Yes, I forgave him and I believe
what he’s telling me. I don’t want you to leave because of
this.

Too late… Call if you need something. Have
fun.

She continued to text but I wasn’t in the
mood to get into this with her. I turned my phone off and waited
for my plane to arrive.

I was glad to be home because it was easier
to think with a clear head. I found Celeste with other vampires and
ill-suens in the south wing. They had a map up and the spots my
father and others had already looked were marked with tacks. I
entered as they were discussing places Adrian might be.

They were tracking the gang they thought
Adrian was hanging with. I stepped in. “They’re not in Africa. They
wouldn’t go into territory already claimed.”

I Pointed to a place on the map I thought
they might be. “I would check central Asia to tell you the truth. I
know that area well and knowing the majority of that area hasn’t
been claimed, that would be the most logical choice for them to
settle.”

They looked at me listening to what I had to
say.

“
You’ve got a good point Daniel,” Nick
said.

“
How about we gather up two groups of
four and spread out among these areas,” I said, pointing to the
map. “We’ll know quickly if they’ve passed through the area, and
just track their scent from that point.”

My sister moved closer putting her hand on
my shoulder. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“
What I came here to do. I’m here to
help find him.” My voice was hard. She griped at me mentally, but I
tuned her out and got my group together.

Nick, Ryan, Sabrina, and Cesar tracked with
me. They were all vampires who’ve had a lot of training in not only
tracking but fighting their kind. They knew a lot of weak points
and strategy involved with these types of gangs. We were part of a
“state watch”. Enforcing a law that stated whoever trespassed into
our territory would have to leave or surrender to us unless they
wanted a fight.

Usually trespassers just turned around, but
on occasion we had a good fight on our hands. My adrenaline kicked
in as we begun the search. We flew part of the way, and conducted
some on foot, when we wanted to hunt.

We made sure to fly around areas already
claimed. Flying was effortless, and it was calming to me. The wind
hitting my face at such intense speeds.

We were also faster in the air than on the
ground. And we knew that our scent would fade quicker if we
flew.

We’d finally made it to the location I
suggested. We found Adrian’s scent, as we were passing a location
on foot. There were at least ten others with him. “There is no way
we could do this on our own. We need the other group to join us,” I
said. I dropped into spirit form as they guarded my lifeless body.
Flying to the West where the other group was tracking. They had
another ill-suen with them named Jeremiah so I got his attention.
He dropped and began speaking with me.

“
Jeremiah, we’ve found Adrian's scent
but there’s at least ten others with him. We're going to need you
guys to help us with this.”

“
Alright Dan, but we also located some
on this side too. There’s are about six or seven heading
north.”

“
As long as they're headed a different
way we wont have any problems. Our sights are on this group, but it
wont be an easy task. If we could get Adrian to come willingly, it
would make our jobs easier.” He agreed, and leaped back to his
body. I told him to follow my scent all the way back to where the
group was.

We set up a strategy as we saw where Adrian
and his gang were occupying. I was going to try to reason with him
first before the others jumped in. Jeremiah stayed back in spirit
form so I could communicate with him if things went bad, then he
could leap back and tell the others. I knew my brother would be
able to sense me and hear my thoughts as I approached. I would have
him follow me away from the others so we could talk.

I walked around one of the tents they had
set up and got close enough so he could hear me.

Adrian, it’s me Dan. Listen, I don’t want
any trouble. I would just like to talk with you alone in spirit
form. I'll tell you where to go so we can be alone.

Alright Dan, I'll let you say what you came
to say, than you and father and everyone else need to leave me be.
Deal?

Sounds fair.

I directed him five miles away to the east
to a location where no one would interfere. He let his body drop
and was in front of me glaring.

What do you want?

Everyone’s worried about you. It's not like
you to just disappear like this, and these vampires you're with are
human hunters. Why are you doing this? It’s killing Mom, Dude. Just
come home.

I’ve been listening to everyone else for how
long now Daniel? I’m told what to do, what to eat ,what to say and
what not to say. I want out. I want my own life, on my own terms.
I’m sick of not being good enough for anyone! Aside from mother I
don’t consider any of you family anymore. You're nothing more than
enemies now. I want nothing to do with you or them. Can you see
that? You have managed to track me, but for what?

Well, because you threatened one of our
kind. That’s why. Threats aren’t treated lightly, especially when
it could interfere with the process.

Screw the process and screw you! You mean
nothing to me. Yeah, I said I wanted you dead. So what? Do you
understand how easily I could kill you or your precious gem if I
wanted? And you’ve always took father's attention away. You’ve
always got what you wanted. You always obeyed and were a good
little boy and I was the defiant one. Nothing I did was ever good
enough in his eyes and the mess ups you’ve done were overlooked.
Yeah father knew about the people you killed, but never interfered!
How is this fair? My first kill, he locked me away. Second kill, I
was beaten and held down… And so on. You were always the prize
child and I will always hate you for it!

Adrian I had no clue. If I’d known I’d--

You’d what? Go cry to dad? Beg him to
release me? There was nothing anyone could do for me. His mind was
made up when I was first born that he hated me. Do you know the
story or should I tell you?

Story?

Yeah. Mom ran way with another ill-suen
before we were born. He had her under his spell, but that was
before Dad unolded her and before he found her. She got pregnant
with me and Dad tried to get me out of her, but she wouldn’t let
him, so I was the bastard he always hated. But he kept me around
because Mom loved me!

I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to
scream and run back to father and ask him how he could do this, to
my…. half brother… I couldn’t believe father would do this. I have
never heard anything about the story he told me.

I’m sorry. I really didn’t know any of this
until now. I will address Father when I get back and tell him
exactly what I think.

There’s no point. He’ll deny it all like he
has for years. If you don’t believe me, ask Mom. She wont lie. And
it won’t change anything. The way you think about him might change.
There’s no point to you getting in the middle of all this. I’m
sorry too for hating you. It’s not your fault this happened. I just
want to be left alone, forever and live the way I want.

I'll leave you be Adrian. I won't bother you
again. Sorry it came to this and I’m sorry for what he’s put you
through. I would have probably taken the same route as you, but a
lot sooner. Goodbye brother….

My mind raced with everything he told me. I
was angry at the pain I felt coming from him that Father had
inflicted. How could he? I never saw my father as anything, but
controlling. He was never abusive or spiteful. I felt Adrian's
pain. I loved my brother and took back all the bad thoughts I had
against him prior to this meeting. I loved my father, but hated the
things he did. I didn’t know what to do and what to tell the
others. I thought they would side with my father since he was the
leader along side Ahmed.

I couldn't protect Adrian against the whole
clan. I was powerless in this situation. I would have to lie to
save my brother for at least one more day. I had to talk to Mom
about this. I would tell her everything he told me and hope that
somehow she could stop Father from going after him.

After
I told
them my lie I had to sleep. I was exhausted and hadn’t slept for
days. Plus, I needed to check on Faith. I knew it would be around
the time she was going to bed, so I could make sure she was okay
and leave her alone. Laying my head down and falling asleep, I
entered her dream. She wasn’t at the waterfall. Instead, she was at
a place I once took her. A mountain in the United States, covered
in snow. She sat at the top, crying, but I couldn’t get myself to
go to her. I was still hurt at what she had done and didn’t want to
give in so easily. My form of tough love.

It hurt me to see her so upset, but this was
for the best. I made sure there was no threat around her, ran
around Arkansas and found no new scents that would concern me. I
fell into a deep sleep.