Was she not here to recuperate? Well, Stormy and her friends could wait. Jasmine appreciated her getting her into this retreat, but she didn't know that making friends was part of the deal.
Once again, Jasmine was going to try to get some sleep. She pulled closed the thick heavy curtains of the canopy bed. Even with the fire burning in the fireplace the room was quite drafty. She swallowed a couple of pain pills and a sleeper then slowly climbed into the bed.
Laying there in the comfy bed, she waited for the medication to take effect.
The day had been a long and tiring one. She was glad for the peace and quiet of this part of the castle.
The wind and the occasional creak was all that could be heard. The wind whistled around the castle’s turrets. To Jasmine, the sound the howling wind was just as relaxing as the medication.
She had no idea if their host had already arrived at the castle. She had not seen anyone or heard any movement other than creaks and the howling wind.
Most people probably would have been scared to be alone in the old castle. With its howling wind, creaky boards, crackling fire, and musty smells invading your senses. Not Jasmine Willow. No, her senses seemed to come alive with excitement. She never felt more at peace than she did lying there deep in the Carpathian Mountains, in a centuries-old castle.
Chapter 9
Jasmine woke close to noon the next day. She was sure that the change in the time zone had something to do with that. Someone had placed a note under her door, opening it up she found that it was from Stormy.
Jasmine didn't want to wake you. Having your lunch delivered to you. Respecting your desire to be alone for a while. I will be in the main banquet hall for supper then off to the night's festivities. Hope to see you there.
Stormy.
Jasmine opened her bedroom door, there was a serving cart with her lunch just as Stormy had said.
Jasmine spent the afternoon resting and nibbling on the lunch that was delivered to her. She tried to work on her vampire novel. Unfortunately, even in the perfect setting to write about vampires, the thoughts did not form in her head.
By late evening, she tired of her room and decided that maybe what she needed was to get out and do a little exploring.
Jasmine collected the serving cart, pushed it outside of her room, and went in search of inspiration.
Jasmine had not taken much of a tour of the castle the previous evening.
The castle was enormous, she would definitely be needing assistance in finding her way back to her room.
Each and every corridor and room that she entered was more elaborate than the previous.
Eventually, Jasmine found herself at the grand banquet hall. There were massive solid wooden tables varying in size. Some could seat only four, others could seat up to twenty. All the seats seemed to be taken up by all the castles many guests. She had no intention of having supper with this group of guests anyway.
Scanning the room, Jasmine spotted Stormy sitting at a table with at least five other women. Jasmine wasn't in the mood to be meeting with Stormy's and her friends just yet.
Jasmine turned around quickly hoping that Stormy hadn't seen her and headed down another long elaborate corridor.
Jasmine wandered around the castle until she finally made her way back to her wing of the castle. Still, in the exploring mood, she made her way down the many hallways peeking into different rooms. After what seemed like an hour, she came to a heavy wooden door that was ajar. Slowly, she pushed the door open. The doors old rusty hinges creaked as she did so. There was a staircase leading down into the castle. The staircase was lit by aging electrical lanterns. There was one hanging every few yards on alternating sides of the stairwell. The lanterns seem to span the length of the entire staircase. As she descended the stone steps, she could still hear the cold wind blowing outside the thick castle walls. With each step she took down the winding staircase, the frigid air around her became warmer.
The warm, humid air billowing from the castles hidden chambers filled her lungs with the moist air causing her to cough with every other breath. The stone staircase led her deeper into the castle’s catacombs. Eventually, it opened into a grand chamber with its walls made completely of stone.
Directly ahead of her was a shimmering pool of water, with steam rising off the water’s surface. This must be part of the Healing Hot Springs. Everyone has come here for. She thought to herself. She herself had not paid to come here to take advantage of the so-called Healing Hot Springs. She had no intention of joining the many paying guests in their first dip that very night.
She walked slowly around the waters stone surface, contemplating whether she herself should take a ‘free dip.’ What could it hurt, she herself was here to recuperate and heal from her own many scars. Not truly believing that the waters would heal any of her still mending wounds. She untied her robe and let it slide to the ground, slipped off her shoes and stepped into the hot water.
Chapter 10
Hunter had returned to Castle Blaze just before dawn. When he arrived at his castle, the smell of human blood was tempting, but not enough for him to indulge.
Hunter sped past the guest quarters, straight up to his wing. Approaching his quarters his senses came alive with a strong irony smell of a blood so fragrant he didn't think that he had ever smelled anything like it before. He had fed just prior to his arrival to his castle, for this he was thankful. The unusual scent of blood must be coming from Stormy's guest.
Was there something that Stormy forgot to tell him about her? Hunter could sense that this was no ordinary mortal. He had an inkling that Stormy Morgan knew this.
Easing up to the stranger’s door, the delightful aroma of her wafted through the door. He could smell her, but her thoughts did not enter his mind-- this was an incredible feat in itself.
Hunter used every bit of his willpower to pull himself from the door. With the sunrise approaching, Hunter would regrettably have to wait until sundown to further investigate this phenom that lay just on the other side of the door.
As he climbed the stairs to his quarters his thoughts remained on his house guest, that lay a short distance away.
Who was she? What was she? These were the questions that swirled around in his mind.
Reaching his quarters, he pulled the thick heavy curtains around his own canopy bed. After stripping himself of his clothing, he climbed into his waiting Hibernation Chamber. Closing out the world around him, he let his body succumb to the sleep of renewal.
Sleep came easily to a vampire. Vampires had no choice but to sleep when the sun rose.
A vampire’s sleep was a sleep of repose. The rising sun was their death, the setting of the sun was their resurrection.
There were no dreams, no nightmares during this sleep of renewal. Only total and complete darkness.
On this night, Hunter Blaise would experience something that only mortals could only experience.
The snow that covered the frozen ground shimmered like finely ground diamonds in the bright sunshine. The cold blustery winds whipped around him. Hunter pulled his hood over his head and wrapped his cloak tightly around him. He hadn't remembered being this cold in a long time.
Something or someone was beckoning him. He could not let the cold wind and snow impede him, he had to continue on.
Hunter soon came upon a set of blood-soaked footprints in the snow. He decided that he would follow the tracks. With each step, the tracks became deeper and brighter in color. Whoever was making the tracks surely could not survive much longer with such massive blood loss.
The crimson red footprints led him straight to a lake in the glistening snow-covered field. A lake that shimmered a bright sanguinary red.
Across the lake stood a veiled figure with the hood covering most of the face except from the lips down, he could tell that the figure was a woman. Her cloak was made entirely of black feathers, from where he stood, she resembled a raven.
She lifted both arms up from her sides. Exposing her naked bod
y. Streaks of blood trickled out of every inch of her flesh, down onto the frozen ground and slowly down the snow-covered embankment filling the lake that lay before her.
Hunter woke with the realization of what had just happened. Never had there been a vampire who had a dream, a nightmare, a vision. What was happening to him? He did know. Hunter had his suspicions. This must be connected in some way to his unknown guest.
Not able to shake off his dream, he would have a talk with the only person that he thought would have an answer to the questions that were swirling around in his mind. Hunter decided that he would take a quick dip in his private hot springs before he went on search of Stormy Morgan. She had a lot of explaining to do, he must speak to her before he met his magical guest.
The part of the hot springs that lay beneath his wing of the castle was connected to the main springs but only a select few knew of the connecting passage.
Passing by the magical guest door he sensed her presence. With great willpower preceded on.
Pushing open the wooden door he switched on the lanterns, even though he really had no need for any lighting, he preferred it.
Hunter used to being alone in his wing, had totally forgotten about getting dressed before descending down to the springs.
This realization hit him as he stepped into the hot water. Well, what did it matter he thought? Wasn't he lord and master of this castle?
Chapter 11
The warmth of the water immediately began to relax her. Jasmine walked out further into the water, using caution as she did so.
The bottom of the springs was a smooth stone surface. She slid each foot slowly along the bottom trying to secure his footing. The warm water sent a tingling sensation throughout her body. It's was like having a few volts of electricity shot through her Not painful just a slight tingle. Jasmine did not know what could be causing the tingling.
Could there be a frayed wire that was touching the water’s surface? she wondered. Jasmine continued, pushing any thoughts of electrocution from her mind.
Deeper and deeper into the cavern she waded. Jasmine noticed that the deeper in she went, the hotter the temperature of the water became. By now she had descended very deep into the castle’s catacombs.
The further into the catacombs she descended the deeper the pool of water became, until the water was at her chest. The caverns entrance that was lit by the lanterns was only a faint glow from where she now stood.
Casting a ghostly illumination all around, Jasmine had no fear standing there deep in the underground cavern.
She did, however, have the desire to dive under the water with its ever-increasing temperature. Jasmine took in a deep breath and dove down under the water toward the furthest depths of the cavern.
As the hot water flowed over her body, the tingling sensation radiated through her entire body. Suddenly, she was surrounded by flames. The flames swirled around her like a flaming whirlpool. The fiery whirlpool pulled her deeper into the depths of the cavern. Jasmine tried to fight against the fires downward pull but the more she struggled the deeper into the caverns depths she was pulled.
A tremor shook through her causing her body to convulse which caused her lungs to expand and take in the fiery water.
The flames released its grip on Jasmine and she was thrust up to the surface of the water.
Chapter 12
Hunter dove directly into the steamy pool of water that lay at the bottom of the stone staircase.
The warmth of the water heated his cold skin making him feel almost human again.
He preferred to swim to the deepest part of the springs, this is where the hot water bubbled up through the rocks. Fortunately, breathing was a sporadic function for vampires. Unfortunately, even with his vampire powers, Hunter could only stand the extremely high temperature for short periods of time. Losing track of time was easy to do when he swam in the springs.
The hot springs was one of the reasons Hunter loved this castle, the springs and the solitude that the castle usually provided.
Even with his family's guests running around other parts of the castle. He still was able to keep mostly to himself as long as he stayed within his chambers.
Swimming deep beneath the hot water, Hunter sensed a change in the water that surrounded him.
There seemed to be a voltaic vibe pulsating through the water.
His vampire instincts told him that this electrical vibe was magical in nature.
The voltage was intensifying with each passing second. He started swimming back to the entrance of the cavern.
The closer that he got to the entrance the more the pulsating voltage increased in its intensity and frequency.
The electrical shockwaves were impeding his progress. One shock after another hit him with such force that it threw his body back a few inches with each strike.
The volts were coming too fast for his body recover before another electrical volt hit him.
The water vibrated with another electrical wave, this time the electric current hit him with such a massive force the he was sent flying deep into the watery cavern.
Chapter 13
Jasmine's lungs expanded trying to take in the much-needed oxygen, but her lungs were partially filled with the salty spring water. It was a few minutes before her body was able to expel every last drop of water.
Jasmine used what remained of her strength to swim back to the water’s edge.
Reaching the stone surface of the cavern, exhaustion was the first thing to set in, then fear overtook her. What had just happened to her? Where had the flames come from? Lastly, but definitely not least, why had she not been burned alive?
Wait, she thought, the flames were not hot, there was no difference in the temperature. Just a flaming whirlpool of water.
Jasmine dressed quickly, glancing around for any further signs of fire or flames.
Nothing, nothing but the lantern lights shining on the waters calm surface.
Climbing up the stone steps as quickly as the exhaustion would allow her, she was constantly glancing behind her to make sure that there were no flames bursting from the hot springs.
****
Jasmine Willow did not know what exactly had just happened to her, but she did know that something was not quite normal with her experience.
How could there be flames but not heat? What had made the water feel electrified?
When the flames had her in their midst, she had initially thought that that some sort of volcanic activity was taking place. With the flames not having any thermic properties, this idea had to be ruled out.
****
By the time Jasmine made it back to her room, every one of her many scars felt as though they were going to split along the suture lines.
Excruciating pain shot throughout her body.
Jasmine grabbed her pain medication bottle, then her bottle of muscle relaxers. She took a couple of those out and swallowed them all down at once.
As she ambled toward her bed, she shed her damp clothes and fell into the soft caress of the quilt.
She lay there panting heavily praying for the medication to take effect. Hoping that the medication would induce sleep and let her fall into a deep slumber.
Within minutes, Jasmine started to feel the medication do as she had desired. The pain was easing somewhat but her mind was starting to get fuzzy. She had a brief moment of worry, that maybe she had taken too much in her haste to dull the pain.
The thought had barely left her mind before she succumbed to unconsciousness. She was practically in a medically induced coma, which was intensified by her exhaustion.
Vampires' Lair Page 3