The Blood of a Stone

by Richard Braine

  Like Christine, Atmoro was frozen in place, stunned by her incredibly beauty. Shadow Vampires were well equipped with not only strength and speed but also beauty that can hardly be described by words. Atmoro had never seen Christine face to face, only in photos. Her long, blonde hair was rarely seen on vampires. She was every inch as tall as Atmoro, and her legs were strong and fast enough to catch a mountain lion in the forest. Atmoro noticed her feet were bare to grant her more speed. Her blue eyes were wide, desperately searching for a way out.

  “You will have to kill me,” Christine said, surprisingly still as calm as any other Shadow Vampire. “I’m not going back.”

  Atmoro was equally calm. “I have instructions not to harm you unless necessary,” he said, trying to reassure her safety. “The Council wants you alive. Do you know why?”

  “The Council has no authority here,” she said, emphasizing the word ‘council’ with venom on her tongue.

  “You know who I am and why I’m here,” Atmoro said. “You know you’re going back, one way or another.”

  Christine spoke from her heart, knowing it could have been her last request. “I love the Shadow World,” she explained. “It’s a beautiful and magical place. It’s my home, but I cannot keep taking orders from a corrupt council. Three months back, the council’s newest member, Malance, imprisoned my father in the Forgotten Shadow City for speaking against him. Malance did this so his brother could have a seat on the council next to him. They labeled my father a traitor. For what? So they could continue smuggling humans into the Shadow World for their own sick pleasures. They’ve developed a taste for the forbidden fruit—the blood of humans. And not just humans, they’ve been feeding on elves and fairies. There will be a war if the Light Council ever finds out their kind are being sold to the Shadow World. This breaks every line of the treaty signed with the angels.”

  Atmoro digested what he had just been told. He had never perceived any of this with his own eyes, and he was about to become a council member himself. Becoming a member of the Shadow Council was something he had desired his entire life. Although, sacrificing the lives of innocent humans and other creatures of the Light World for his own pleasure was not something he was willing to do.

  Atmoro was caught between a rock and a hard place. If he questioned the Shadow Council about Christine’s story, there was a chance he would be locked away in the Forgotten Shadow City as a traitor for eternity. If he did nothing, he’ll be part of a corrupt council that’s on its way to causing a war that would bring about the end of both worlds.

  “I’m free here,” Christine said with tears in her eyes. “Free to find a way to save my father.”

  The two Shadow Vampires stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

  Atmoro had never seen a Shadow Vampire cry.

  The thought of running entered Christine’s mind.

  Atmoro broke the silence. “You would have to disappear,” he said. “Forever. You can never return to the Shadow World. I would pay with my own life if they ever found you alive after I inform them of your death. You must accept that your father is gone. You know there is no escape from the Forgotten Shadow City.”

  “But you have orders to bring me back alive,” Christine debated, brushing the hair away from her eyes. “Why have they requested this?”

  Atmoro’s heart-beat increased along with Christine’s. “I do not know the answer to that question,” he admitted. “The Council must want to know why a Shadow Vampire jumped to the Light World. Though, from what you’ve told me, it’s clear they already know the answer. They’ll lock you away in the Forgotten Shadow City and forget about you.”

  “Life here is difficult,” Christine said softly. “I miss my home. I don’t want to feed on humans to survive, but the forest animals only provide enough energy to last a day in this sunlight. I can never fight the council and free my father without my full strength. I need human blood.”

  “I will return to the Shadow World with news of your death,” Atmoro said, considering his own fate. “Your father is gone. You must live your life. It’s what any father would want for his beautiful daughter.”

  The word ‘beautiful’ left Atmoro’s lips before he could stop it.

  Christine leaned forward and kissed his lips gently. Atmoro returned the kiss. Atmoro had never been in love; nor did he believe in love at first sight. Christine was beyond beautiful. He felt a connection to her.

  They spent the next two weeks falling in love—a feeling neither of them had ever felt. Christine, as hard as it was, accepted the fact that she would never see her father again. Their time together passed quickly, and it wasn’t long before Atmoro had to return to the Shadow World and inform the council of Christine’s “death.” The council was skeptical of Atmoro’s story, but after severe interrogation, they finally accepted that Christine was gone and assigned Atmoro his next hunt.

  As promised, Atmoro would visit Christine whenever he was sent on hunts for jumpers. They set up a home in a small town along the coast of California, pretending to be a young married couple. Atmoro claimed to be a businessman from the big city, which explained his extensive traveling. To keep her strength up, Christine picked up a new hobby: preying on criminals in nearby towns. She didn’t feel bad feeding on these humans since they were evil. Their blood gave her the strength she needed.

  It wasn’t long before Atmoro and Christine made a remarkable discovery—Shadow Vampires had the ability to conceive children in the Light World.

  Less than a year after meeting Atmoro, Christine gave birth to twin boys. One had a head full of dark hair, and the other was blonde like Christine. The two bright-eyed smiling newborns grew at an alarming rate, requiring more blood than Christine’s body could afford to give. Atmoro returned often with deer blood to feed their sons, but this diet only satisfied them for a short time. The twins would soon need to learn to hunt on their own.

  Atmoro made quick work of any hunts assigned by the Shadow Council. He spent the rest of his time with his family. It was a constant struggle to keep their secret a secret, but they somehow managed to go about their way of life for the next four years as a happy, small town-family.

  Life was perfect.

  It’s amazing how a person’s life can change entirely in a single split second. Atmoro and Christine’s life changed forever the day a hunting party of seven Shadow Vampires and just as many elves broke down their front door.

  Atmoro and Christine were gagged; their hands were bound by specially designed cuffs forged in the Shadow World. Two Shadow Vampires held the twins, and four others restrained Atmoro and Christine as they were injected with Daylight; an illuminated liquid that looked as though sunlight was ensnared in a syringe.

  The effects of the Daylight worked quickly. Atmoro’s limbs weakened, his eyes drooped, and his strength deserted him. He recognized the vampire in charge of the others—the head councilman’s only son, Malance.

  “Atmoro and Christine,” Malance said through an evil grin with entirely too much arrogance, “you are both labeled jumpers and have been sentenced to death by the Shadow Council. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

  Atmoro’s gag prevented him from defending the allegation. He looked at Christine, and without a word, they conveyed how much he loved her. She nodded her head in response.

  “I’ll take that as a no,” Malance said smiling. “Now, let’s get this party started!”

  Malance directed his tone toward the vampires holding Atmoro and Christine. “Do not let them go!” he ordered.

  Atmoro struggled with his captors, but the Daylight had weakened him to the point of exhaustion.

  “Don’t worry, little ones,” Malance said, kneeling in front of the twins, patting the dark-haired one on the head.

  The twins were much stronger than Malance had anticipated. After all, no one had ever seen vampire children. All previous Shadow Vampires were turned as adults, not born. They simply didn’t exist… until now.

&
nbsp; The dark-haired twin wrestled his way out of his captor’s grip, lunging toward Malance. The Daylight clearly didn’t have the same effect on the twins.

  The child landed on Malance’s chest, sinking his teeth in his shoulder. Malance screamed out loud. He may not have known the twin’s incredible speed, but their strength was no match for his own. He snatched the little one by the scruff of his neck and tossed him across the room. The twin was back on his feet in milliseconds, running right back at Malance. The boy lunged through the air, attacking again.

  Atmoro was proud of his son and yet terrified at the same time.

  The child never reached his intended target. His chest was pierced by an illuminated arrow shot by one of the elves and fell motionless at Malance’s feet. A pool of blood formed on the floor.

  Christine and Atmoro were out of control. The effect of the Daylight was wearing off, and the vampires had a difficult time restraining them. Malance ordered the guards to remove them from the room and dispose of the other twin.

  Atmoro and Christine were separated. Atmoro was chained to the large ceiling beam in the bedroom.

  Malance entered the room. “Your uncle is the last of your family that will serve on the council,” Malance said as he raised a large knife blade. “Your bloodline ends here. It’s a new world—a world without you.” Malance tightened his grip on the knife. “The Shadow Council would be excited to know you were able to conceive children here in the Light World. It’s a shame the evidence must be destroyed along with you. Your wife will have to live out her eternity within the walls of the Forgotten Shadow City knowing you could not protect her new family.”

  Malance let out a dark laugh as he plunged the knife into Atmoro’s chest.

  He was left hanging from the beam to die; never to see Christine or their sons again.

  The hunting party set the house on fire. The wooden beams hissed and crackled in the flames. Smoke filled Atmoro’s lungs. Using his free hand, he was able to break one side of the chain and pull the knife out of his chest. Blood poured from the wound; luckily, the knife had missed his heart. The ceiling collapsed, trapping Atmoro. He heard his family’s screams as he passed out from the blood loss.

  When Atmoro’s eyes opened again, he was completely covered in charred wood that was once his family’s home. Crawling clear of the ashes, Atmoro lay on his back, staring at the stars, wishing he was dead. The pain in his chest was excruciating. He could barely take in a single breath of the night air. His muscles ached. He was in agonizing pain, and he needed blood to restore his energy.

  The sound of voices intensified, getting closer. Atmoro tried to move, but the pain had sent his body into shock.

  “There’s a survivor!” a man cried out, waving to someone else. “Over here! Hurry! He’s hurt!”

  Atmoro motioned for the man to draw closer. He gathered as much strength as he could and plunged his fangs into the man’s neck. Moments after the first drop trickled down his throat, Atmoro felt his strength increase. The man tried to yell for help, but nothing came out. Atmoro’s strength had returned.

  He searched the burnt down home for signs of his children, but he found nothing. The twins’ small bodies must have perished in the fire without a trace. His heart ached.

  Atmoro snapped back to reality. His hatred for the Shadow Council intensified along with a new found disgust for whoever helped them here in the Light World. Malance had taken Christine back to the Shadow Council as proof of Atmoro’s betrayal. Atmoro had spent every waking moment since looking for a way to retrieve his wife from the Forgotten Shadow City. All he needed now were a few drops of a stone’s blood; he’ll be taking all of it though—just to be safe.

  EIGHT

  Sleep eluded me that night. I found it difficult to close my eyes and drift into unconsciousness while Atmoro was out there somewhere planning his next move. Instead of sleeping, Aerona and I reviewed the FBI’s plan a few times, then outlined an escape route to get us out of Madison in a hurry in case our plan went sideways. We had no intentions of being trapped in a city with a pissed off Shadow Vampire.

  The sunrise chased us as we drove back to Madison. It was a beautiful day to slay a vampire. Kasiah and her team weren’t scheduled to meet us until the dinner at eight o’clock, so Aerona and I checked into a hotel to get cleaned up before the dinner party. Clothes shopping was our next stop. Neither of us had proper attire for a formal event, nor did we desire to stand out in the crowd. It took me all of twenty minutes to grab a sports jacket, some pants, shoes, and a black tie—it wasn’t that easy for Aerona.

  Aerona was rarely seen wearing anything other than an ordinary shirt—usually with some offensive or sarcastic text—and an expensive pair of jeans. She did, however, seem eager for that rare opportunity to shop for a dress. I was dragged into what seemed like every clothing store in Madison. I lost count of the stores, but I believe the final dress she tried on at Citrine on State Street was somewhere around the twentieth. She walked out of Citrine’s dressing room with a shy smile on her face, her eyes looking down at the floor nervously. A unique tropical green blended into deep black brushstrokes down the dress. Thin black straps crisscrossed the back, and crystal beading was wrapped at the waist. The deep v-neckline could have used some extra, um, padding to fill it completely. She looked absolutely wonderful, but there was just one problem—she would definitely stand out.

  “What do you think?” Aerona asked with a sparkle in her eyes. “How do I look?”

  “Like a mirror image of Mom,” I said. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

  Aerona fought back her tears as she returned to the dressing room. Then, she bought the dress.

  We spent the rest of the afternoon familiarizing ourselves with the surrounding streets. The city was alive with football fans, most wearing Wisconsin red and white for the game against Penn State this weekend. The fans were oblivious to the fact that the world’s most dangerous predator was lurking in their own city.

  Aerona and I eventually found our way back to the hotel before the sun set into the horizon over the west lake. Beautiful oranges and dark reds swirled together as if someone had painted the sky complete with a few sailboat silhouettes in the distance. I silently hoped the blood red sunset wasn’t a sign of what was to come.

  Once we had showered and changed, we made our way to the dinner party. Aerona pointed out that she hadn’t seen a single police cruiser or any other signs of law enforcement on the way to the university. This either meant they were good at blending in or that they aren’t taking the threat seriously—I hoped it wasn’t the latter.

  Kasiah and her younger sister, Amy, met us a block from the convention center. Last night, Kasiah gave us a few brief details, so we were familiar with her sister. Amy was a student at the University of Wisconsin, and she had just turned twenty-one in February. She switched majors from education to engineering and now environmental science; it sounded like she was working her way through the E-majors. Our story as friends was that we met while Amy spent two semesters at NYU before transferring back home to Wisconsin and UW. Aerona and I were visiting for Summerfest and sightseeing. Amy knew enough of her FBI sister to not ask too many questions; she was just happy to help.

  “How are you enjoying your vacation to the Midwest?” Kasiah asked, winking.

  “It’s been fun,” Aerona replied, imitating Kasiah’s accent. “We even got to milk a real cow.”

  I don’t think Kasiah found Aerona’s accent humorous. They needed to have an old fashion cat-fight to get some aggression out.

  “Nice to meet you, Amy,” I said quietly, shaking her hand. Aerona did the same, so no one else could hear that we had, in fact, just met.

  “I love your dress, Aerona,” Amy said.

  I half-expected a sarcastic remark from her, but Aerona surprised me by being polite. “Thank you,” she said politely. “You both look beautiful.”

  Kasiah and her sister looked amazing; they could have been twins if not for their hair color. I h
adn’t quite noticed before, but Kasiah looked stunning out of her standard issue FBI jacket and pants. Her big, brown eyes sparkled in the city lights, and her dark chestnut hair, perfectly smooth and straight, was let down just past her shoulders. A maroon dress fit tight against her toned body, leaving little space to conceal her gun, which was probably the only accessory in her tiny purse.

  Amy wore a short, sleek black dress with an elegant necklace. Her skin was tan from what looked like natural sunlight. Her blonde hair, exactly the opposite of Kasiah’s, was a little curly and longer, with subtle streaks of black throughout. She had the same cute Wisconsin accent as Kasiah.

  The girls led us through a large glass door into the convention center’s main lobby. Two enormous, intricate glass chandeliers were suspended from the twenty-foot-high ceiling. One wall, made entirely of glass, overlooked the twilight-shimmering lake that bordered Madison’s east side. Several staff members served trays of drinks, expertly weaving their way through the crowd.

  Aerona’s eyes were busy scanning every face in the lobby. I felt her emotion; she was tense, but in control. I’d know the moment she sensed anything out of the ordinary.

  “I don’t know about you two,” Amy said, “but I’m in need of a beverage. Preferably one with alcohol.”

  “Count me in,” Aerona smiled. Her mood was calming down a bit. “Relax, little brother,” she added. “I heard vampires don’t like blood with a high alcohol content. The real fun doesn’t begin until after dinner”

  I shot her my best little brother doesn’t approve of you joking about vampires in front of Amy look as they disappeared into the crowd. I wasn’t worried. Aerona was more than capable of handling herself.

  Kasiah brushed away a few strands of hair from her face. “Your sister’s right,” she said. “Loosen up. My team has this under control. This is what we do.”

  I agreed with Kasiah, but far back in my mind, I knew that was exactly what heroes usually said before being slaughtered on the big screen. This was no Hollywood flick.