In Love With A Vampire

by M. J. Stevens

  “At first, I wasn’t sure why the men took Jesse,” Maggie began, wiping the last tear from her eye. Stoically, she tried to strain against the tears that were threatening to burst out. She couldn’t let the emotions control her. She had to stay in control, and mustered as much temerity as she could in this tragic situation. “It didn't make any sense why would anyone take Jesse. What can she offer? She’s just a vampire police officer with her heart set straight on thwarting Catan’s plans, making sure that he pays for what he’d done to his victims, and for what he’s going to do, which is to trigger the Apocalypse. I sat down for hours, trying to figure out all of this, trying to find at least a thread of information that would reveal what I needed to know. What makes Jesse so instrumental in this situation that she had to be killed and taken away? I was utterly baffled. Why take her and not me? If the men were sent by Catan, then why not finish me off as well, since I’m just like Jesse, trying to get back at him for his evil deeds. And then, I realize something, something so important that it becomes dreadfully shocking.”

  Maggie paused for a moment, letting all the words sink in. Lipton stared at her with his mouth agape, and he knew that there was more to this whole situation than met the eye. He was flooded with questions in his mind, and he wanted to let his words stream out, but he refrained with all the willpower he could muster, wanting so much for Maggie to finish her words so he could at least gauge what was going on in this treacherous period of time.

  Ken sank to the couch nearest to him, looking like he was about to hyperventilate. His mouth twitched, as if he was trying to mumble something, but the words just couldn’t get out.

  Maggie continued after she took a deep breath. “Can’t you see? Without Jesse, Catan’s plans wouldn’t work. Without Jesse, there would no be the Apocalypse. Catan needs Jesse in order to trigger the Apocalypse!”

  Lipton gasped. What in the world was Maggie talking about? How could Jesse be needed to carry out Catan’s masterplan? It just didn’t make an iota of sense at all.

  Seeing the baffled look on Lipton’s expression, Maggie explained further. “Jesse’s the Second Key, which Catan needs to activate the Apocalypse.”

  “The Second Key?” Lipton repeated, feeling as though Maggie had babbled something in a foreign language.

  “Yes, Jesse’s the Second Key. I know that you’re confused, so I’m going to show you something.” Maggie dashed toward the couch where Ken was sitting. She knelt down, trying to retrieve something from underneath the couch. Ken slid off the couch, giving Maggie some space.

  Maggie grabbed a brown leather-bound book, which looked ancient and had specks of dust on the cover. She placed the book on the coffee table, and gestured for both Lipton and Ken to come closer. Lipton sprang in Maggie’s direction with great ease as he arched his wings. Ken edged closer to Maggie with a cautious look on his face, unsure of what Maggie was going to unveil.

  “This is the Enchanted Bible, passed down throughout generations of the Reils family line,” Maggie explained in a solemn tone, creating an ominous mood in the dimly-lit den.

  “I’ve heard about it,” Lipton said, somewhat amazed to see the Bible right in front of his eyes. He’d heard about the Bible, and how most Enchantresses would rely on it for past generations whenever they would enmeshed in situations that would require a supernatural fix or answers to perplexing questions revolving around magic.

  “I’ve flipped through the pages to find some answers that would connect with Jesse’s sudden abduction, and I think I found the answers.” Maggie let her hand hover right on top of the Bible, and the cover magically lifted open by itself, and the pages started flipping.

  The pages stopped flipping, and Maggie removed her hand.

  “Read this,” Maggie instructed, pointing at the pages in the Bible.

  Lipton tilted his head so he could read the contents.

  The Universe

  The Universe was created from a particle, which exploded to become the Universe it is today. Scientists attributed this to the Big Bang Theory, the belief that our universe was created from a speck of dust. What many people did not know was that it was Magic which created the Universe. Magic was the instrumental tool in creating our Universe. Elements of magic exist freely in our Universe, and as time progressed, it was magic which slowly expanded our Universe, making it so big beyond belief that many people believe that the Universe is limitless, endless, infinite. But the truth is, the Universe is not infinite. It does have its Dead Ends, which are sealed by two Universe Keys. Although it is possible for the Universe to expand beyond its limits and become infinite, Magic has its logic and a mind of its own. As the Universe expands, Magic also has the space to thrive and expand, becoming more powerful beyond imagination. Magic was neutral in the beginning of times, not favoring good or evil. When human civilizations began, there were a few select beings who were given access to those magic. Some humans were born to be able to tap onto this source of Magic, giving them supernatural abilities and powers. These beings were supernaturally gifted, making them stand out from other human beings. But as time passed, humans were rapidly consumed by greed, wanting more power than ever and even going to the lengths of inflicting harm on other humans for the sake of power. Their minds were poisoned, and their evil deeds affected the free-flowing Magic of the Universe. Because of their sins, the Magic of the Universe was affected, tainting it and making it darker than ever. If more humans with access to the Magic of the Universe sinned, the Magic would be tarnished by darkness and eventually, the whole Universe would be destroyed to non-existence, and everything would be decimated and the Universe would be no more. In order to to ensure longevity of the Universe, Magic knew that it had to do something to prevent the Universe from being completely annihilated. It created two Poles, the Good Pole and the Dark Pole. For those traces of Magic which had been tainted by the sins of men, Magic kept them locked up in the Dark Pole, while the traces of pure and untainted good magic were kept in the Good Pole. Therefore, two kinds of magic were created due to this: good magic and dark magic. Good magic was confined in the Good Pole, whereas dark magic in the Dark Pole. As long as dark magic was contained inside the Dark Pole, good magic will not be affected, and can remain pure and unblemished. Each Poles have the Pole Lock. In order to open the Poles, there has to be Keys to access these Poles …

  The next page was missing, and Lipton couldn’t finish reading the whole account of the Universe. His breath caught in his throat. It was as though he was running a full-mile marathon, almost reaching the end of the race, but was instantly stop by a barrier.

  Lipton heart thudded with a sense of anticipation. Keys? Why did that sound very familiar to him? The word sprang onto his mind uninvited, creating a sense of deja vu for him.

  “The Keys?” Lipton repeated, as though in a trance.

  Maggie saw the confused look on Lipton’s face, as if he somehow knew about what she was saying, but quite didn’t comprehend the full meaning of it.

  “Yes, the Keys,” Maggie responded firmly, adding weight to those words. “They’re not just any Keys. They’re special Keys, and they act like guardians of the Poles. Each Key is assigned to their own separate Poles, and the only way to open those Poles is through those Keys. These Keys are actually … beings. They could be either humans or supernatural beings.”

  Lipton’s heart leapt to his throat. He didn’t like he was hearing, and it sounded more complicated that it already was. Maybe the fact that Jesse was part of all this magical mayhem didn’t click well with Lipton, and he wished that he didn’t have to know any of this. The lesser he knew about this, the better it was.

  Lipton grabbed the Bible, flipping through it in a desperate attempt to locate the missing page.

  “What happened to the other page?” Lipton demanded, his heart thirsting for answers.

  “Well, it was ripped out of the book,” Maggie said slowly, “and burned to ashes.”

  Lipton’s eyes widened. “Why would somebody burn
the page?!”

  “Because that page contains the Code that could eliminate the Keys. Without the Keys, both Poles would remain unlocked and exposed to imminent threats. One of our ancestors knew that somebody evil like Catan would want to conquer the world one day by tapping onto both good and dark magic, and when that happens, he would be literally invincible. If that page containing the Code was to be found by someone evil like him, then the Keys would be destroyed, leaving the Poles open and vulnerable. The reason that there is a balance of good and evil in this world is because those Poles exist. Once the Poles are unsealed, then someone would take advantage of them, contaminating all good magic with darkness so he could carry out his evil deeds freely, and would become unstoppable. For generations, there had been evil beings who had attempted to steal the Enchanted Bible, trying to locate the Code. Those who seek the Code had one sole purpose … which was to conquer the world with so much power that nobody could stop them. In order to become the most powerful Ruler in the world, they need the Code to eliminate the Keys so they would be able to tap onto all the magical energies of the Universe. Therefore, the Code page had to be destroyed to prevent the Code from being discovered by those with malicious intention. And for generations and generations, the Poles have been safety locked up by the Keys … that is until someone like Catan is trying to find access to those Keys to open them up so he would be completely indestructible, and that would spell the end for the Universe … because he’d have so much power that nobody would have the chance to stop him anymore.” Maggie stopped for a moment, letting her words slowly sink in, as Lipton tried to comprehend what she was saying.

  “I’m slightly confused,” Lipton said with a hoarse voice, questions pounding inside his head. “What does Jesse have to do with all of this? I still don’t get it …”

  “Although it all seems so complicated … it’s actually that simple. Jesse is the … Key.”

  Maggie’s last sentence drew a loud gasp from Lipton.

  “Jesse is the Key?” Lipton repeated, rolling his eyes at the ridiculous assumption. “How could Jesse be the Key? That’s absurd! I don’t believe it! I don’t! What would ever make you think that she is the Key?”

  “I’m pretty sure that Jesse is the Key,” Maggie responded with firm conviction. “Catan would go all the way to get those two Keys to unlock the Poles so he could tap onto all the powers of the Universe and contaminate every trace of good magic it in, so the world will be so dark and evil that not even a single trace of light could stop him.”

  “But why? Why Jesse?” Lipton plopped down onto the couch, his arched wings slapping against the leather surface. He couldn’t for the life understand why Jesse could even be the Key to one of the most powerful Poles of the Universe. Her connection to the Pole Locks just didn’t compute.

  “At first, I didn’t want to just simply assume that Jesse could be the Key. Do you know how is the role of a Key assigned? Every generation, Keys will be replaced when they die. So those deceased Keys will be replaced with a new Key, chosen by the Universe himself. Nobody would ever know the identity of a Key, because it is kept so secretly that it’s literally impossible to find out. For generations, nobody knows who the Keys are, and they remain anonymous until today. But there is only one way to find out …”

  “How? How do we know which person has been assigned as the Key?” Lipton’s heart pounded in anticipation, and he sprang back to his feet again. He couldn’t sit still anymore. Maggie was keeping him in suspense. Lipton flicked a glance at Ken, who was wringing his fingers together, as his face looked slightly pale from the anxiety he was experiencing. Ken seemed a little perturbed by the fact that his own wife could be the Key, but he remained speechless, as though his voice had been swallowed by the rising fear that was threatening to fray his nerves.

  “Since the Universe was created by magic, and the Pole Locks were created by magic … what do you think would be able to identify the Key?” Maggie paused, as if waiting for Lipton to complete her thoughts.

  Lipton gasped. “Magic. Am I correct? Magic’s the only way to find out …”

  “Yes, and since I’m an Enchantress, I’m bestowed with the ability to tap onto the magic of the Universe. By drawing onto some of that magic, I’d be able to find out who the Keys are …” Maggie paused for a breath, and then continued, “And I did. You see, the only things Catan urgently needs right now are the Keys to unlock the Pole Locks to access all the powers of the Universe. I’m sure that he’s already unlocked the other Pole … which is the Good Pole.”

  “What? Are you saying that Catan has gotten his hands on one of the other Keys?” Lipton paced back and forth in circles, tension etched on his face. He had learned to be stoical for as long as he could remember, but when he thought about Jesse and how she could be involved in all this, he had partially lost the grip on his composure.

  “I’m pretty sure he has,” Maggie said firmly. She glanced at the Bible in front of her again, and waved her hands at it. The Bible magically flipped to the page that she was looking for. It stopped there and she gestured at it, saying, “Read this.”

  Both Lipton and Ken edged closer toward the Bible, and started reading.

  The Great Darkness

  The Great Darkness is a source of dark magic from the Dark Pole. When it is unleashed, it can spread like a silent poison and infect every being in the world. When infected, supernatural beings will be stripped of their abilities to use magic, and they will lose their supernatural characteristics, rendering them vulnerable and powerless. When the Great Darkness has completed its circle and infected every single being in the world, then the balance of the natural order will be greatly devastated, and only one person will rule supreme over every being in the world. The Great Darkness paves way to the Supreme Ruler of Darkness, who will have control over almost everyone in the world, who will be powerless to stop him or her. In order to tap onto the powers of the Great Darkness and let them spread throughout the world, the Dark Pole must be unlocked for the evil perpetrator to gain access. Therefore, in order to protect the world from the Great Darkness, the Magic of the Universe will need to contain all the elements of the Great Darkness within the Dark Pole, sealing it with the Key to ensure that no one would get their hands onto this deadly magic. The Key will become the guardian of the Dark Pole, and his identity will remain a secret so evil and greedy beings would not be able to trace him and take advantage of him. If those evil hands are able to identify the Key, they would stop at no means to secure the Key to gain access into the Dark Pole, and use the Great Darkness for their evil purpose. Eventually, the Great Apocalypse would be triggered, signaling the reign of a new Supreme Ruler who will have infinite powers over everyone in the world, leading to a dictatorial reign and the world will be cast in infinite darkness for generations and generations beyond.

  After Lipton stopped reading the final sentence, he glanced up at Maggie and asked, “So who’s the current Key of the Dark Pole? Has the Dark Pole been breached yet?”

  “I’m afraid that it has been breached,” Maggie said in a dejected voice. “In order for to find out the identity of the Key of the Dark Pole, I had to use my Enchanted Ball with all the magic I have left. The Great Darkness is slowly seeping all my powers, and I’m afraid that I’m getting weaker and weaker in terms of using my magic. However, I’m still able to trace who is the Key of the Dark Pole.” Maggie closed her eyes tight, trying to draw the last vestiges of supernatural magic that still existed within her reach.

  The Enchanted Ball materialized in the middle of the den, and floated toward Maggie as if by some sort of magnetic force. Maggie opened her eyes and grabbed the magic ball, and placed in on the coffee table next to the Bible.

  “Show me the identity of the Key who seals the Dark Pole,” Maggie intoned in a grave voice, her eyes devoid of any traces of warmth. Gleams of jade green danced in circles within her eyes, as the Enchanted Ball spurred to life with swirling glows of green, moving like fire.

 
Lipton and Ken watched in amazement as the Ball gleamed to life with glowing swirls of green, tinged with patches of dark shadows which danced ominously within the Ball.

  All of them stared at the Ball with bated breath. Maggie raised her arms, as if trying to channel some magic around her to make the Ball work. The dark shadows warped and twisted amidst the green swirls, slowly taking shape of a human head.

  Lipton’s heart pounded with such ferocity that for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. What if Jesse’s face appeared there? Would it have made him feel better if the Ball revealed the identity of the Key of the Dark Pole … who happened to be his one and only true love? He wished with all his heart that the Ball would reveal a face other than the face of Jesse.

  The shadows took form of the head of a woman, and the eyes began to emerge, along with the nose and lips. The blackish shade of the shadows slowly faded away, replaced by the natural colors of the woman’s features. The last traces of the shadows dissipated, revealing the face of the woman with such clarity that it drew gasps from both Lipton and Ken.

  It wasn’t Jesse at all, much to Lipton’s relief. It was the face of another woman whom Lipton vaguely recognized, and he knew they’d crossed paths before but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen her. The endless chain of events that rolled out like dominoes for the past few weeks had somewhat exacerbated Lipton’s memory, and he just couldn’t care less about what had happened. He only wanted to focus on one thing only … Jesse. Nothing else mattered at that point of time, and he wished Jesse was there right now with him, and he wanted to tell her how much he loved her before his life was over, before he became part of the ultimate sacrifice.