When Finley told me he loved me, I should've felt something. Anything. I expected warmth or the excitement of a potential relationship. Instead I questioned and doubted the concept. I didn't want to believe it.
No one ever loved me except for my mother and even to call the way she felt about me ‘love’ was asinine. Instead I felt our bond strengthen while we slept that day. I guess a bond between two Deamhan was like love between two humans.
What he said didn't leave my bedroom. Days came and went and soon only one week separated me from the day that Silvanus had scheduled me to leave for America. I wanted our remaining days together to be perfect and without drama and disruption. After Silvanus followed through on his word—sending Adele's remains back to the vampires in tiny chests—everything in the sanctuary calmed down and returned to normal. No one heard anything about Ethel nor Anastasia. Hunting resumed and Finley and I spent our nights outside, lying on the lawn and gazing at the stars. He frequently spoke about what he wanted to do once the drama settled. He wanted to leave London and visit other places in the world like India.
One weekend night, shortly after sunset, we walked down the staircase, eager to head out and spend our night under the stars. Before we reached the main floor we saw a man and a woman standing next to each other with their arms chained behind their backs. As I got closer to them, it dawned on me that they weren't human. They smelled ripe and I covered my nose. I realized that I had smelled their stench before. Blood streamed down the side of the male's face and onto his clothing. The woman didn't look any better. She had stringy waist-length dark hair which matched her caramel colored skin. She wore a tattered and dirtied white dress. It wasn't her appearance or smell that garnered my attention. The color of her eyes impressed me. Her left eye was blue and her right eye was brown.
I turned to Finley. “Are they—” I caught my whispered question.
Silvanus appeared from down the hall accompanied by a female Metusba. They stopped short of the two individuals and he pulled out a white rag from the breast pocket and covered his nose.
“Ugh, they always smell atrocious up close.” Silvanus turned to her. “Are you sure these two are Dorvo vampires?”
The Metusba nodded back to Silvanus. “I'm sure of it.”
“Well then. Shall we start?”
The Metusba carefully walked around the vampires and opened the front door. Slowly she reached out, as if she didn't want to touch them, and she freed the male. “Go. Run.” She stood aside.
I didn't bother blocking any Deamhan from my thoughts, which questioned their identities. Finley and I watched as the Metusba then freed the female and also told her to run. However, the captives didn't move.
“You're free to go,” Silvanus said to them. By this time Branda and Brandy appeared to our left and they also took notice of them. The male vampire retreated back and he pushed his female companion out of the way. Soon he ran out of the sanctuary. Brandy's eyes turned black and she launched herself at the female, pinning her to the floor.
Silvanus grabbed her by her shoulder and tossed her off. “No cheating,” he said in a calm voice. “That's rude.”
“Why are you letting them go?” Brandy lifted herself to her feet. “They're the enemy!”
“Because they are our entertainment for the night.” Silvanus nodded to the female Metusba who walked away and returned later, carrying a glass of blood. She placed it on the floor in front of the female vampire and stepped back.
We all watched and waited patiently until the woman grabbed the glass and placed it up to her lips. Her eyes cautiously moved around the room, watching us, and she finally began to drink, consuming the remaining liquid.
“I refuse to be your entertainment.” She then stood up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“This one...she has the pride of a lion,” Silvanus said. “And maybe the bite of a jackal.” He pointed to the door. “But pride won't help you. Only your speed will. Now run. This won't be any fun if you don't run.”
By now more Deamhan had made their way over to see the two Dorvo vampires. The female opened her mouth and exposed her fangs. They didn't appear like the fangs of a Ramanga. They came out quickly and they were a bit longer and sharper. In return, Finley hissed back at her.
“Are those fangs supposed to frighten us?” Silvanus laughed and soon every Deamhan watching the spectacle laughed along with him except us.
She slowly closed her mouth. “I'm not running.”
Silvanus hastily approached her. “You'll run.” He grabbed her wrist and yanked it up to his mouth. “Or I'll keep you here and torture you every night for the rest of your immortal life.” He bit into her wrist and pushed her back. He then spat the blood from his mouth. “The Brotherhood and your Coven can't protect you now.” With his foot he kicked her in the ribs, pushing her body out of the front door and onto the porch.
“You're letting her go?” Again Brandy questioned his motive.
“No.” Silvanus then turned around to face us and he held up his hands. “We're going to have a Dorvo vampire hunt.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Dorvo Vampire Hunt
Silvanus laid out the rules to the vampire hunt. We had an hour to catch our prey and bring them back alive. Whoever did so would be rewarded with money and the chance to kill them.
After the female vampire fled from the front porch, we waited for a few seconds before Silvanus signaled all the Deamhan to go after them. They ran from the sanctuary into the night, howling like werewolves. Finley stood at my side on the porch as we watched Branda and Brandy run off with them. Some lowered their bodies close to the ground, taking in the scents before disappearing in a blur across the vast open plain.
Silvanus approached me and he placed his hands on the railing. “Are you both not going to join them?”
“I don't understand the reason behind this,” I asked him. “Why not just kill them? Why did you feed her blood then bite her?”
“Well, it's not fun if they're too weak to run,” Silvanus replied. “We have to have some competition, right? Do you like prey that won't fight back?”
“And what if they escape?” Finley asked.
“They won't.” He tittered quietly. “I will make sure of that.”
Finley also leaned against the railing, taking in the cool breeze. “How often do you host these hunts?”
“Whenever we capture one of them.”
“I don’t understand,” I spoke. “They’re just vampires, right?”
“No. They are vampires and then, there are Dorvo vampires,” Silvanus replied. “They claim a direct ancestral link to a vampire by the name of Dorvo. He was just one of the many vampires we owe our existence to. If it wasn't for him, your ancestors would have never created us Deamhan in the first place. We're bred to hate them.”
I stood quiet at his revelation.
“Your ancestor was a smart human,” he said. “He believed that, to deal with vampires, the humans needed their own supernatural force and he used magic to create it. You know, Deamhan weren't always bad. The very first four were loyal and protected the humans.”
Puzzled, I asked, “What happened?”
He shrugged. “Nothing good can ever come from dark magic, Maris.”
“Dark magic?” I became drawn to his explanation and I started to search my mind to remember anything my human mother may have said about our family. The only thing I knew was that her parents were migrants and of course, the crescent amulet was handed down in our family. She never went any further back than that.
“The first four Deamhan turned on the humans so another four were created,” Silvanus said. “And when they also turned on the ones who created them, the humans then created a magical space to trap them in; Limbo. They succeeded but not before the eight Deamhan had sired humans to spread their seed.”
“Eight? Anastasia told me there were only four clans,” Finley spoke.
Silvanus laughed loudly and he patted the top of my he
ad. “Anastasia's knowledge of Deamhan history lacks in many ways.”
I looked straight ahead, watching Deamhan in the distance scouring the land for the two Dorvo vampires. “But there are only four clans now.”
Silvanus nodded. “Yes. Made extinct by the four that exist today.”
“So how does Maris fit into this?” Finley asked. “Why is she so important?”
I started to think. “I don't practice magic. I know nothing about that.”
“It's in your blood.” Silvanus smiled at me. “Literally. It has the power to release them from Limbo.”
“So you want to free them?”
“Oh God, no,” Silvanus immediately replied. “They can never be freed.” He ended our conversation. “Both of you go and join in the hunt.” He clasped his hands behind his back and descended down the stairs. “You don't want to risk having another Deamhan win the prize.” He ran in a slow pace then he picked up speed. Soon he quickly moved in a blur, disappearing before our eyes.
By now all the Deamhan had left the sanctuary, scattering to search for the two vampires. I didn't want to leave the comfort of our home but Finley encouraged me and instead of following them, we walked to the horse stables near the back. Cautious, he told me to wait as he searched. The cool wind picked up and the sounds of birds and animals around us began to drown my hearing.
“No vampires here.” Finley returned.
“Dorvo vampire.” I corrected him. “We're not participating in this hunt, are we?”
“Do you want to?” he asked. “I don't want to admit it but what Silvanus said makes sense. They hunt us. We hunt them.”
I declined the offer. He didn't say anything about the history lesson we learned from Silvanus. That troubled me. I wanted his opinion.
“If you're afraid that that the scary Dorvo vampires will get you, don't worry,” he joked. “I'm here to protect you.” He rubbed his fingers through my hair. I pushed him away and laughed. When I tried to reach for his hair, he took off in Deamhan speed across the landscape and I ran after him. I caught up to him and he turned around quickly, grabbed my right arm, and tossed me into the air. I landed, unhurt on my feet, and when I tried to throw him, he maneuvered around me. He managed to always be one step ahead.
“I'm older than you, Maris, so I'll always be stronger.”
I smiled back at him and noticed that he pulled out a small book that had been tucked in the waist of his pants. “What's that?”
He sat on the grass. “I took it from Silvanus' library.” He began to flip through it. “I think it's called a ‘dime novel’.”
“A dime novel?” I questioned.
“Humans in America write all their exploits in these books and they sell them.” He patted his hand on the ground next to him. “Sit. I want to show you something.”
I sat next to him, looking over his shoulder as we began to read up on cowboys and Indians. This particular book had stories of Billy the Kid; a person no older than my human self, who was a desperado and wanted for murder. I didn't know much about America besides the Civil War and slavery. Still this mysterious land excited me however I didn't want to leave Finley here and all alone. I mentioned the city of San Francisco and he cringed.
“I know nothing about that place.”
The more I thought about America, the more I wondered why it was taking Silvanus so long to send me there. I knew he followed the orders of an Ancient female that I had yet to meet, but it still didn't make any sense. My smile faded away from my face as I dwelled deeply in my thoughts.
“What's wrong?” He eyed me.
“Nothing's wrong. I'm fine.”
“Are you certain?” His right eye twitched. “Don't make me read your thoughts, Maris.”
I nodded and told him a lie. “I just don't like this vampire hunt, that's all.”
“Well, let's not talk about it. Let's talk about America.” He closed the book and lay back on the grass, staring at the clear night sky. “I can't wait to go there.” He laughed under his breath. “What other places in America would you like to visit?” He placed the book aside. “What about the Black Hills?”
“You told me we have eternity, remember? There's no need to rush.” I wanted to comb through his thoughts. “I’ve been wondering about something you told me a few days ago.”
He looked at me. “What is it?”
“What you said the other night… You said that you loved me. Do you really believe that?”
“I do. I guess I think I do.” He continued to stare at me. “I can't explain it. I want to love you but...”
“But what?”
“It's...it's not normal. It doesn't feel right.”
“Would you feel the same if I were a human?”
“Maris!” His voice pitched high and his mouth remained opened.
“I don't mean to surprise you, but I was curious.”
“No. No, there has to be something behind these questions,” he replied. “Did Silvanus put you up to this?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because your question doesn't make any sense.”
“Neither does the fact that you're confused about love.”
He closed his mouth.
“Would you miss me while in America? Would you remember me?”
“I don't like these questions.”
The nighttime breeze picked up and it carried a scent that we hadn't smelled before. With his attention now aimed at figuring out the intrusive scent, he sat up and eyed the area around us.
“You smell that?” He sniffed the air. “I think we just found the female.” He hastily walked away to the back near the edge of a line of trees and I joined him quickly. The farther we walked, the stronger the smell became, turning into an overbearing stench that stung my nostrils.
“Stay here.” Finley continued walking forward.
I heard rustling to my left and the smell returned with it. Making my way through the bushes, I came upon the female vampire lying on her side on a bed of twigs and brush. I stood motionless and her eyes opened, staring back at me. My fangs extended. I should've yelled out to Finley, telling him I had found her, but part of me wanted to question her first. She looked weaker, due to the bite wound from Silvanus on her wrist and her different colored eyes still mesmerized me.
“Don't come any closer,” she whispered as she sat up.
There wasn't any force in her threat. I personally didn't want to harm her. My human mother used to say I was a curious child who had to know everything. As a Deamhan, that didn't change.
“Why do you Dorvo vampires smell bad?” I knelt next to her.
She moved away from me. “Deamhan don't smell any better.”
I sniffed my arms, smelling nothing. “No, that's you. I'm sure of it. You all smell like dirt and rotten flesh.” My mouth opened slightly. I had so many questions for her and I didn't know what to ask first.
She looked to her left in the direction that Finley walked. “You've come to claim me, Deamhan? Well, what are you waiting for?”
“I don't know what you mean by that,” I replied. “But if you answer my questions, I promise that I will let you go.”
“And why should I believe you?”
“I don't know. Maybe because I'm your only option of escape?”
Again she looked to Finley. “Fine. Make your questions quick.” She nodded.
“Silvanus said that Dorvo vampires hunt us and hate us. Is that true?”
“You know nothing about who we are.”
“I know that you’re a Dorvo vampire,” I said. “And you kill Deamhan?”
“We all kill, Ramanga.”
“Would you kill me if you had the chance?”
“If I had to, yes.” Her eyes moved back and forth from me to Finley. “But I wouldn't because you're the descendent.” Her reply sounded like a question and a statement.
“So you don't want to kill me?”
The air carried the voices of other Ramanga near the front of the h
ouse. I looked back quickly. “I think they found your friend.”
She stared at me for what felt like a lifetime before saying, “Every part of me wants to kill you still.”
My eyes wandered over her body, examining it. “I know why Deamhan want me, but I don't understand why Dorvo vampires want me as well.”
She turned her attention to Finley who remained far from our location. “Because you can decipher it.”
“Decipher what?”
“The spell. You can decipher the spell your ancestor used to create the vermin.” I sensed her fear starting to mount.
“Like I told my kind, I don't know anything, especially magic that would release the first eight Deamhan from Limbo.”
She laughed suspiciously and tilted her head to the side. “It's part of you.” She swiped her hair from her face. “It's inside you.”
“This isn't a laughing matter.”
“I'm sure you heard that together, Deamhan can be an unstoppable force, but do you know what's stronger than that?”
I didn't know.
“An unstoppable supernatural force,” she answered. “Deamhan and Dorvo vampires are not that different. We both fear nothing, we are both taught to live as we please and we do what we want. The problem with that elementary philosophy is that we supernatural creatures, in fact, should fear everything. We should fear being known, we should fear attention, ourselves, and what we're capable of. The difference between our species is how we handle that fear.”
I didn't quite understand where she was going with her speech.
“Out of fear, Deamhan were created to balance the vampires and vampires balance ourselves.”
“But Dorvo vampires and vampires are different.” I thought. “That doesn't make any sense.”
“It wouldn't make sense to you because you are a Deamhan,” she answered. “Dorvo vampires can control our nature because we are a natural creation. We have balances. Deamhan are not balanced. You are abominations. You aren't supposed to exist.”
Deamhan Chronicles, Books 1-5: Deamhan, Kei. Family Matters, Dark Curse, Maris. The Brotherhood Files, Ayden. Deamhan Minion Page 60