Fate of the Blood Moon's Path (22 page)

“Akuma would like you to go downstairs.” She spoke almost in a whisper.

“I will,” I sat back down in the window sill. “But how’ve you been? Tell me what you’ve been up to all these years you’ve been here.” I asked her excitedly.

“Just working you know…” She laughed, “Killing, recruiting, you name it. I’ve done it.”

“I bet you have, little Kalin.” I put my hand on her shoulder.

“Come!” I stood. “Before Akuma throws a fit.”

“We wouldn’t want that.” She grinned at me with her white teeth.

“It’s about time.” Akuma yelled across the room as I entered.

“All good things take time.” I added trying not to grin.

“Don’t be a smart ass Robert Draven.”

“Akuma, there isn’t a need to be so uptight.”

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Well, there isn’t.” I whispered looking down at my hands before stuffing them into my pockets.

“He’ll be here tomorrow night Draven. When the moon is still not showing, to arrive in the darkness under cover.” He sat down after pouring himself a glass of “O” positive. “MMM. For all that ails,” he held his glass up as a sort of cheers.

“I’m aware of that Akuma…”

“Did you tell your little girlfriend good bye?” He seemed irritated with me.

“Who?” I asked.

“Angel.” He stated.

“Months ago.”

“He’s going to expect a full report of what’s been going on with his granddaughter.”

“I’m sure he will.”

“And you’re prepared to give it?”

“Sure.” I leaned against the back of the velvet couch sitting across from Akuma.

“Draven…?” He set his glass down, “You better leave out the part that you’re falling in love with her.”

“I’m not.” I looked out the window past him. “She knows about us killing all those families in London…” I murmured.

“We’ve killed many.” He paused. “You mean the Donovans? I still have to get her back for stabbing me. That little wench.” Akuma’s face became menacing.

“Akuma…” I looked up feeling my eyes go black with anger.

“I’m glad you weren’t around when we met at the cemetery in Edinburgh. She’d hate you now…no, wait, you would be dead. She killed every single one of them I had brought with me. I was the only one who walked away from it.” He took another gulp of blood. “Go with Kalin and her crew to make sure the perimeter is cleared and ready.”

“Fine.” I ran a hand through my hair still looking down at my converse sneakers.

“I know you feel like you’ve been put into a bad position.”

“You don’t know how I feel.” I said defensively.

“Stuck.” Akuma sat there still calm as he usually does. “I too felt that way, like I was put into this place without a choice having to give up everything I’ve ever known to listen to orders.” He paused. “You’ve been a Vampyre for hundreds of years Draven, don’t start feeling sorry for yourself.”

“I’m not feeling sorry for myself.”

“You can’t have her. You’ll never have her. Stop dreaming Draven, and open your eyes up to the reality around you.”

“And what reality is that Akuma?” I asked him angrily. “That we live for an eternity in the dark and we’re not allowed to have any sort of happiness? It shouldn’t be this way…” I was yelling.

“You have been around that half breed far too long my boy.” He laughed. I, however, was not amused by his humor. “Tell me, what is so special about this hybrid girl Draven?” He raised an eyebrow grinning widely.

“There are plenty of us to give you a little bit of happiness.”

“I don’t want twenty seconds of happiness.” I said mocking Akuma’s ‘happiness’.

“Happiness doesn’t exist for the Devils’ creatures…especially when it consists of Lazarus’ family.”

I didn’t know what else to say, or how to describe how I felt. Was I really falling for Angel? Was it just because she was the granddaughter of our leader? Or because I knew that I couldn’t have her? I’ve never been a rebel, and I’ve never wanted to cause trouble. I have always done what I was told, and what was expected of me, without asking questions.

“Whatever you say Akuma.” I turned towards the door. He got up and caught my wrist.

“You know what happens to those of us who don’t do as they are told.” I looked him in the eye.

“I’m perfectly aware.” I took my arm from his grasp. “I’m off to patrol.” I’m sure if I didn’t have such light feet it would have sounded like my feet were stomping out of the room like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

“You’re coming with us?” Kalin asked as I reached the front doors.

“Guess so.” I answered. She gave me a crooked smile with a questioning look in her eyes. She was the last person I would explain things to. She has great loyalty towards Lazarus. But Akuma is the one who keeps my secrets.

There was a team of about fifty Vampyres scattered around our many acres and some of them were taking posts upon the walls.

“I’m curious.” Kalin started, but didn’t finish.

“About?” I asked, walking quietly, keeping my eyes peeled and ears open.

“Why Lazarus would want to come here. There is nothing special about it.”

“Freedom.” I said.

“For a wolf.” Her laughter hissed.

“You don’t see that?” I glared over at her.

“Being what we are. There’s no such thing as freedom Draven, unless you’re a rogue.” She looked up at me.

“Then I guess I have been here too long.”

“What’s this place called anyways?”

“You mean where we are?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“New York. I guess they call this place Central New York. I‘ve never seen a place like this before.”

“Our home country is so much better. It’s always to sun-shiny here.” She laughed at herself.

The sun shine was ok with me. This place was green, everywhere you looked, green. There was plenty of woods and water and open fields where all the wild animals roamed. This was a place that I have called home for far too long, and I want it to stay that way.

“At least we don’t burst into flames and turn into a pile of ashes.”

She smiled. “This is true Draven.”

I shrugged.

Most of us Vampyres all have the same attitudes. Live for only us, do what we have to do to survive and kill whoever gets in the way of our missions. Hollywood turns us into things that we aren’t. Do we feel that we have to live up to these standards?

When I was a human, things were different. We had freedom and we could come and go as we pleased without question. We didn’t always have enemies.

I remember being human. Even though it was years ago. I had an amazing family and the coolest friends. I’m sure that they are all dead by now. I never had to worry about security like this. My friends and I would disappear for the day, steal kisses from pretty girls and come home covered in mud. My mother would always make that sighing noise with those words she’d say after, “
Oh Robbie”.
Every time.

I was happy then too. I wanted to work on the farm like my father, and be just like him. I wanted to find a beautiful woman and make her my wife. We’d have our own farm house and have children running around, and grow old together and die together.

But, as a Vampyre, I can’t do that. I can’t do any of that. I never asked enough questions after being turned into a blood sucking nightmare. Sometimes I wondered if I would be better off ending this life that I was living now, and coming back as a human to live that life I’ve always secretly dreamed of. Hell, I don’t know if I’d even come back. I’m soulless; so they say.

“Did you hear that?” Kalin asked pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Hear what?” I asked.

Kalin started running.

Scarlet.

20.

Under Clouded Skies.

Present Time.

“Shit.” I whispered to myself upon waking up and realizing that Angel was missing from her bed. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” I stood listening. There was no sounds of life in this house, except for me. “Windows open…” I moved towards the window. “Damn her.” I sniffed the air outside.
How long has she been gone?
I couldn’t get a sense in which direction she had gone. I couldn’t smell her.

Throwing on my hoodie I had, I ran down the stairs slipping my boots on over my jeans I had on, grabbed my knives and put them down the back of my jeans, so they were just sticking out to have ready, just in case.

“Rayna!” I yelled pounding on her and Micah’s front door.

“What’s wrong?” Rayna’s sleepy voice appeared behind the screened door.

“Angel is missing.” I put it simply. “I woke up and she was gone.”

That woke her up. “Let me get dressed.” She turned around running towards the bedroom.

“I’ll go get the Six.” Micah came out of the bedroom before Rayna, pulling his boots on, “They’ll be able to sniff her out.”

“Good idea.” I said.

“Before she does something stupid.” Micah finished. I watched him leap off of the porch and take off towards James’ house.

“Micah going to get James?” Rayna asked coming out of the house dressed and carrying a shotgun.

“Yea.”

“What the hell was she thinking?” Rayna asked aloud.

“She’s not thinking.” Came the sleepy voice of James from behind us in the dark. “Damn her! I’ve got me a fine looking lady back in my bed.” He rubbed his eyes.

“You’re so selfish.” Rayna said with no emotions. “And disgusting.”

“It happens to the best of us.” He smiled.

The rest of the Six slowly came out of their houses and met up with us out on the road that led away from the village. Everyone else in the village was sound asleep and had no idea of what was going on.

“What’s up?”

“Where the hell did she go?”

“Does that girl ever think?”

“I’m going to slap her for this.” All of the Six were commenting all at once.

“You’re all selfish.” Rayna said and started to walk into the woods.

“Should we split up?” Scarlet asked.

“No. Us three stay together. You Six shift and go ahead. Let us know if you find anything.” Rayna ordered.

“Gotcha.” Said James. “Stay together guys and pay attention to your surroundings.” They all started running fast. Their faces grew into snouts and their bodies arched forward, ending up on all fours and covered in fur.

“She’s gotta be heading for No Man’s Land.” Rayna said in a hushed tone.

“How do you know that?” I asked her.

“We’re connected.” Was her reply.

Her reply made me stumble a little bit and fall back for a few seconds. I wasn’t going to start anything with this girl whom I barely knew. I, too, felt connected to Angel. I’d know all about her and who she was before we’d ever even met. We’d spent all that time in London and Edinburgh, and she has saved my life countless times. She’d spent most of the time taking me down and making me feel like I was a worthless, but she taught me how to be a warrior. She taught me how to survive and live civilly as a hybrid and to blend in and recognize the dangers around me. It’s not easy. I’m still getting used to it and it’s been a couple hundred of years.

So what if she and Rayna grew up together and have been best friends their whole lives.

“What was that?” Micah asked loudly. Six wolves came out of the darkness and stood around us.

“What was what?” I asked stepping forward.

“I thought I saw something go behind that tree.” He said back.

“I heard something…” Rayna said. “It’s a growling noise.”

“What the…” James shifted back into human form.

“Good thing it’s dark out here wolf-boy.” I said not turning around to see him nude beside me.

“Afraid you’d like it too much?” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Gee, you caught me.” I said with sarcasm.

“Angel did.” He laughed and bit his lip. We all shook our heads not wanting to know the details.

“Are those orbs?” I asked ignoring James.

“Yea.” Micah said.

“Not your average orbs.” James had to put in his two sense.

“How far are we from this No Man’s Land?” I asked.

“You’re looking at it.” Rayna said.

“Exactly fifty feet wide between Vampyre and Werewolf borders and it goes on for hundreds of miles that way.” Micah pointed left, on the right led to the lake.

“So…” I started.

“So…” James mocked me, “We’re looking at whatever isn’t allowed to come onto our lands and their land.”

“James, shift back. Three of you that way, and the other three go that way.” Rayna said pointing to where they had to go. “Patrol, then come back and report your findings.”

I’m the new person here. I didn’t want to interfere or get in between whatever system they had going on here. I know that Rayna is second in command and whenever Angel isn’t around, she’s in charge.

“I’m going in there.” I said starting to walk forward.

“Be my guest.” Micah said.

“Don’t listen to him.” Rayna said grabbing my wrist as I started moving into the unclaimed land.

“Let go. I’m going to find Angel.”

“No.” Rayna paused still holding my wrist. “No one goes in there unless they’re looking for trouble. That place will be the death of whoever enters. Once you’re in, you’re in.”

“The Elders set a powerful force field at our borders to keep the Vampyres out. The only place it doesn’t cover is in the water on the shore.”

“Just Vampyres?” I inquired.

“Just Vampyres.” Rayna answered letting go of my wrist. I grabbed my wrist with my other hand rubbing out the hurt from her strength she put into holding on.

“Sorry.” She pointed to my wrist. “I’m sure Angel wouldn’t want you to go wandering around in there, to your death, just because she’s an idiot.” Rayna tried to smile without success.

“Anything?” Micah came forward to three wolves who were coming in from the left, while the other three came from the right.

James shifted into his human form. “Nada.” He said.

“Maybe we’d just better go back to the village and wait there. I can’t smell her scent anywhere in the wind.” Micah stated with very mixed emotions.