The Blood of a Stone

by Richard Braine

  Morgan spoke for the first time: “How is it that you know about this and we don’t?” he asked. “You’re telling me that I’m in some cheap horror movie, and this is some big secret that only you two know about?”

  “We’re very good at keeping secrets,” Aerona smiled, “and covering our tracks. Oh, and by the way, the first rule about vampires is don’t believe anything you see in the movies.”

  “Let’s all sit down,” I suggested, seating myself at the large round table at the center of the suite. “We don’t have time to debate the fact that someone is murdering innocent people by draining their blood, and now it appears that the same someone is stealing precious stones. We may never have another chance at stopping him if we waste time debating his existence.”

  “Are you guessing this is a vampire, or do you know it is?” Kasiah asked, pulling out a chair for herself.

  “I know who I saw on that security footage,” I said, still trying to make myself believe the truth. “What I don’t know is what this particular vampire is trying to accomplish. His kind has spent a lifetime ensuring their existence remains a secret, and considering they’ve been alive for centuries, I’d say they’ve done a hell of a job. Your world has more evidence to prove a Sasquatch exists than vampires.”

  As Kasiah lowered her guard and sat at the table, I couldn’t tell if she was listening or getting ready to call the cavalry. Morgan stood near the suite’s door; it was probably a technique taken directly out of the FBI’s interrogation handbook—keep yourself between the door and the suspect.

  “The nodule he stole,” I continued, “is not from this world. Atmoro is not from this world.”

  “What do you mean this world?” Kasiah asked, leaning closer.

  I caught Aerona’s eyes, and she gave me a nod to continue. “Aerona and I are not from this world either,” I said, stopping to let Kasiah comprehend what I had just told her.

  “Not from this world?” Kasiah and Morgan asked at the same time.

  “This is going to take all night if I have to keep repeating myself,” I said, looking at Aerona. “We don’t have time for this. Show them.”

  There’s only one thing Aerona loves more than music: magic. She’s among the only warlocks I know with more spells memorized than me.

  Aerona’s lips curled into a wide smile as she pushed her chair back and stood up. She narrowed her eyes.

  Warlocks don’t have to incant aloud; we can simply think of the spell to trigger it. The more complex spells require greater focus and energy, and large spells can even drain us completely, leaving us vulnerable until we can regain our energy.

  Aerona extended her hand out flat, as if she was handing Kasiah an invisible gift with her empty palm. A tiny flame ignited above the center of her hand, slowly growing into a small fireball. Aerona placed her other hand over the flame and squeezed water from thin air, making it rain and dousing the flame.

  “I’ve seen the same act in Vegas,” Kasiah said sarcastically.

  If I’ve learned anything about my sister, it’s not to piss her off. Aerona wasn’t amused by Kasiah’s comment, and Morgan was about to pay the price.

  “Sorry, Morgan” she said, closing her eyes.

  In a flash, Morgan was gone. He was replaced by a twelve-inch stone statue that was an exact replica of Morgan with the same confused look on its tiny, stone face.

  Kasiah’s chair crashed backwards as she jumped up from the table.

  Aerona stretched her arm out toward Kasiah, pinching two fingers together to shut Kasiah’s mouth—literally. Kasiah floated off the floor, her legs dangling as if she was being hoisted by an invisible cable harness. The balcony door burst open, and a cool breeze rushed in. Kasiah was helpless as Aerona spun her in a full circle toward the balcony.

  “That’s enough,” I said, rising my hand to bring her back.

  “But I was just warming up,” Aerona said, frowning.

  “Put her down,” I said, “and wake Morgan up now!”

  Aerona lowered Kasiah within a few inches above the floor, and without warning, she dropped her. Kasiah was barely able to keep her balance. Aerona then walked over and gave Morgan’s tiny statue a quick kiss on its stone cheek, a life-sized Morgan instantly reappeared.

  “What the hell was that!” he yelled. “I could see and hear what was going on, but couldn’t say or do anything!”

  “Did you see that in Vegas?” Aerona smiled as she flicked her hair back as though she had just finished a show. “You may want to sit down. The immobilization spell can sometimes leave you a little disoriented.”

  “Let me explain,” I began. “This is a lot to take in at once. If you both will open your mind to the impossible, then maybe we can stop Atmoro together from hurting anyone else.”

  Kasiah and Morgan finally decided to listen to what we had to say, and we spent the next two hours talking about the Shadow World. Aerona and I gave them the short version with just enough information to get them on board. We explained how we are both warlocks—wizards to them—and have been hiding for nearly a century.

  We also discussed the Light World. Kasiah and Morgan had the same disbeliefs about angels, elves, and fairies as they had about vampires, werewolves, demons, and goblins. I reassured them that the quite impossible is possible. Aerona’s little display was a big help there.

  The main topic of conversation was Shadow Vampires.

  “Shadow Vampires,” I explained, “are normal Shadows created by the Shadow Council in the Shadow World. They’re trained to be protectors of our kind. They’re basically an elite police force. They’re also hunters of Shadows that jump illegally to the Light World.”

  “So, the vampires that we see in movies and hear stories about aren’t real vampires?” Morgan asked.

  “That’s mostly true,” I answered. “The origin of most vampire stories begin with a vampire that was turned in this world. The key difference between Shadow Vampires and other vampires is that the vampires here are humans from the Light World that have been transformed by a Shadow Vampire. These vampires only have a fraction of the Shadow Vampire’s incredible strength and enhanced senses, but they’re still a deadly weapon when trained properly.”

  Midnight came and passed by the time Kasiah believed our story and shared a few secrets of her own. It turned out she and Morgan were not part of the Madison White Collar Crime Unit; they were part of an FBI team that received a tip informing them that my alias was visiting each crime scene.

  Kasiah’s FBI tip comment caught me off guard. Who was tracking me and why? I wondered. There was no time for more complicated twists to this case, so I focused on the task at hand—stopping Atmoro.

  According to Kasiah, the American Geological Society scheduled a black-tie dinner on Friday to unveil their display at the University. The guest list was packed with college professors, city officials, and even the Mayor of Madison.

  We decided Atmoro wouldn’t try to retrieve the other half of the nodule until after the dinner party; that’s when the display items will be transported from the convention center to the actual display location, where the FBI would concentrate their security efforts.

  Kasiah and Morgan were already in touch with their team back in Madison. We fed them fabricated information that Morgan received an online tip about someone in a chat room claiming to be the serial killer. Jess set up a fake chat room and conversation to coincide with our story. She sent us the transcript along with several fake computer IP addresses that would help verify the tip. Then, all the fabricated information was forwarded to Kasiah’s team in Madison.

  We wrapped up the tactical planning by 2:00 a.m. The display pieces would be transported from the convention center to the university in a secured armored truck followed by a full police escort along one of two preplanned routes. Several unmarked chase cars would drive in unison on parallel side streets. The actual route would not be chosen until the transport leaves the convention center. A helicopter, equipped with an infrared camera, was
scheduled to fly over the motorcade the entire way to the display site. The only other detail was Kasiah adding us to the guest list, so we could identify Atmoro if he showed up.

  Since we were finally able to convince Kasiah and Morgan we were not the killers, they headed back to Madison to assist their team with the final preparation. We were to meet them Friday evening before the dinner party.

  Now, to catch a vampire.

  SEVEN

  Jake crouched next to the TV in the mansion-sized home Atmoro had borrowed for their weekend in Madison. Jake was connecting the camera to show his master the latest surveillance footage. He sensed Atmoro standing over his shoulder, expressionless as usual. Jake purposely took a few extra minutes hooking up the camera just to make Atmoro wait. The other four vampires in the room were becoming impatient.

  Who does Atmoro think he is? Jake thought to himself, fantasizing what it would be like to watch Atmoro pleading for his life, begging Jake to stop inflicting pain. The only thing stopping Jake was that he needed Atmoro to lead him to the hidden gateway into the Shadow World, but after that…

  The screen changed from blue to black as the video started. Two women and a man were walking quickly through a filled parking lot. Atmoro recognized the man and one of the women as the same FBI agents from Jake’s previous video. His plan was working like clockwork. Two days prior, he had Jake make an anonymous phone call to the FBI about a man in a bar who was bragging about a serial killer case, and this man was using his fake FBI credentials to visit all the crime scenes.

  By that point, Atmoro knew the FBI was hungry for any leads or information. They took the bait—hook, line, and sinker.

  A small, blinking low-battery icon flashed in the upper corner of the screen. Atmoro glared at Jake in disapproval as the video continued with several minutes of nothing but silence as the agents were seen arguing inside their car.

  The TV screen changed back to blue as the video ended.

  “The battery died,” Jake said quietly. “Nothing exciting happened. Her partner showed up, they made some sort of agreement, and then they all left together.

  “Did you follow them?” Atmoro asked. “Or did your car run out of gas like the battery?”

  “Of course I followed them!” Jake snapped. “They went to a hotel about ten minutes away.”

  “We have enough information to move forward,” Atmoro declared, ignoring Jake’s attitude. “Just as planned, the FBI has enlisted the help of a warlock. He will help us find the stone.”

  Atmoro turned to leave the room.

  “This is pointless!” Jake shouted to Atmoro as he walked away. His fuse was getting shorter by the minute. “I can retrieve that worthless rock without help from anyone in this world, or yours!”

  Atmoro stopped in the doorway. “You are young and foolish,” Atmoro said calmly, not turning to meet Jake’s glaring eyes. “You know nothing about vampires or my world. Warlocks are more powerful than you could imagine. They are the only creatures that vampires fear. A skilled warlock can steal the air from your lungs without uttering a single word. Yes, a vampire does not need to breathe to stay alive, but it’s very painful to have your lungs empty and burning for air. That is just one of many spells they can cast in seconds before your tiny mind can even comprehend what had happened.”

  “YOU ARE THE FOOLISH ONE!” Jake shouted, struggling to keep his anger under control. It was time for Jake to show Atmoro who was in charge. “You are the one with your back turned to the strongest vampire in the room. Maybe it’s time we elected a new leader.” Anger filled Jake’s veins. “ONE FROM THIS WORLD!”

  Jake never saw Atmoro move from the doorway, and it all happened in an instant. Jake was airborne and tumbling straight for the far wall. The impact broke his shoulder.

  Atmoro seized Jake by his throat and lifted him up several inches off the ground, slamming him against the damaged wall. Atmoro was fuming inside, but he remained calm and in control; he still needed Jake.

  “Shall I remind you who is in charge?” Atmoro asked, squeezing Jake’s neck.

  “No.” Jake whispered, trying to pry his hands from his neck.

  “If you do not stop questioning me,” Atmoro warned, knowing he could slaughter every vampire in the room, “you will find out just how easy it is to slay a vampire.”

  Jake gasped for breath as Atmoro released his grip. It would take time for his wounds to heal fully.

  “That goes for the rest of you too,” Atmoro said, addressing the other vampires in the room. “I created you, and I can destroy you—all of you.”

  No one else attempted to stop Atmoro as he left the room.

  Finally, after decades of searching, Atmoro was closer than he had ever been to possessing the stone with the power to unlock the Forgotten Shadow City, which would allow him to release his long-lost love from within prison walls.

  Ten years back, Atmoro had uncovered an ancient scroll with writings of a secret gateway to the Forgotten Shadow City; a gateway that was built by the Shadow Council out of fear that someday one of the council members may find themselves trapped within the walls of the inescapable prison. The key to the secret gate was encrypted in the riddle The Blood of a Stone will release them alone. Atmoro had spent every day of the last ten years searching for a stone that bleeds.

  Atmoro’s quest for the stone gained momentum when he caught an elf tracking him and his trail of dead bodies. The elf refused to give up the name of his master, but he did share a valuable piece of information just before Atmoro tasted the elf’s blood; the word ‘stone’ was symbolic. It referred to a fallen angel created when an angel breaks a law in the Light World, then that angel is cast down to Earth to live as a mortal. According to the elf, stones were bigger myths than vampires.

  The nodule was not the stone referred to in the ancient scroll, but Atmoro was betting the warlock would lead him to the blood of a fallen angel, so he could save his love, Christine. Atmoro let his mind slip back to a time that felt as if it was yesterday—a time when he was next in succession to lead the Shadow Council and write the Shadow laws, not just enforce them.

  Atmoro had not always been a heartless killer. He was the last of his bloodline and one of the most naturally skilled Shadow Vampires ever known. In late eighteenth century, he was sent to the Light World to hunt a jumper: a female Shadow Vampire, Christine, who had crossed over to the Light World illegally. She was among the most feared Shadow Vampires of her time, and she wasn’t known for her mercy. If a jumper was being hunted by Christine, they were as good as dead. Although, dead isn’t dead in the Shadow World. If ever unfortunate enough to be caught by a Shadow Vampire, a jumper receives one of two fates: the jumper either has their head and limbs severed and burned (real dead), or they spend eternity imprisoned in the inescapable Forgotten Shadow City (as good as dead). The jumper’s fate basically depended on the Shadow Vampire’s mood and the trouble the jumper had caused. The council simply wanted their secret world to remain a secret.

  No one knows why Christine had jumped. The Shadow Council summoned her for a hunting party to track several werewolves that had jumped the previous day. When she didn’t respond to the order, they found her home deserted—she had vanished.

  Crossing over to the Light World was difficult but not impossible. There are only two crossings to the Light World, and both are heavily guarded by werewolves. Although, where there’s a will, there’s always a way; and Christine found a way by simply pretending to be summoned for a hunt, which automatically granted her access to cross into the Light World. The werewolf guards never even questioned her. It wasn’t every day that a Shadow Vampire jumped to the Light World—Christine was the first.

  Atmoro was chosen to hunt down Christine. He was given strict instructions not to harm her; the Shadow Council wanted her back alive to use as an example. Basically, if a Shadow jumped, they made the choice to be hunted. The Shadow Council spent many lifetimes protecting the Shadow World’s existence, and anyone who compromised their
secret world was labeled an enemy and was eliminated.

  It took Atmoro nearly two months to track down Christine. He caught up with her in Yellowstone National Park, which had only been named a year before. There were several unusual animal attacks within the new park and all indicated vampire attacks.

  The day before Atmoro arrived at Yellowstone, a mountain lion was found dead with two tiny puncture wounds in its neck. Atmoro impersonated a forest ranger to gain access to the dead animal. After inspecting the wounds and considering the speed, power, and agility it would take to bring down a mountain lion in its own environment, and the nature of the wounds, he knew it was the work of a skilled vampire—Christine.

  The lion was killed near what is now known as Heart Lake. Atmoro traveled by foot through the mountains to the lake, spending two nights tracking Christine. On the third evening, he was deep in the mountains when he heard a mountain lion fast on the move. It was clearly running away from something. All the other animals in the forest were dead silent—they were hiding.

  The night sky was illuminated by a magnificent moon surrounded by millions of bright stars. The mountain lion raced through the forest, changing its course several times. Atmoro shifted his position from side to side until he was sure to be on collision course with the speeding cat; he could feel the lion’s footsteps on the forest floor.

  The mountain lion came into view and leapt up to a towering red oak. Sinking its claws into the thick bark, it climbed hard and fast. Atmoro felt a second set of vibrations in the ground, softer and quicker than the lion’s. The steps slowed down as they neared, probably sensing that the mountain lion had changed course or was now in the trees. Atmoro promptly realigned himself with the new steps as they changed course once, then twice—he was hunting the hunter. When the steps were only twenty feet away, Atmoro stepped out from behind a tree, stopping Christine dead in her tracks. She knew exactly who he was and why he was in the Light World. She cursed at herself for letting him surprise her, but she was hungry; her senses had been focused on the mountain lion.