Chapter Eight
Sanaya entered her room with some assistance from Eve, when a flash of light appeared, instantly revealing Aklia, Raya, and Natasha in the center of her room looking just as radiant as the last time she saw them.
“Sanaya!” Aklia shouted with joy. “Good Heavens child you gave us quite the scare!”
Eve stepped to the side to give the three female spirits the opportunity to embrace the still very exhausted Sanaya.
“Yes you did!” Raya fussed, wrapping her arms around Sanaya once she manifested in physical form.
“We would have come down ourselves to heal your primary Guardian but we were a bit occupied,” Natasha explained, taking a seat on the bed.
“Well I'm glad you guys are here,” Sanaya expressed with relief. She slipped off her shoes and climbed into her bed, lying back against the pillows while Aklia covered her.
“I think the best form of healing for you Sanaya,” Aklia began, “is the natural way. You will be sore and drained for a few days, but power jolting you with my healing may be a bit much for you at this time.”
“So where have you guys been?” Sanaya asked as she nestled underneath the blankets.
“After the fight in Louisiana,” Natasha began, “With the help of the warrior angels, we managed to chase the remaining Reapers to the bottom levels of Hell-”
“Wait. You guys went to Hell?” Sanaya sat up quickly, only for the onslaught of dizziness to remind her she still needs to recover.
“Yes. That is part of what we do if needed. We rooted out legions of demons, turned countless vampires into ash, and we even assisted with the burial of multiple Guardians who lost their lives over that dark period.”
“Yes and we never told you how pleased we were with you and your team that night. You guys were truly amazing,” Raya added, grinning from ear to ear.
“Thanks...but you guys as always were awesome.”
“No. You were, young one,” Aklia beamed. She then turned to face her warrior kin, and that smile of hers quickly disappeared.
“What's wrong?” Sanaya asked, now worried.
Natasha sighed. “Something resurfaced last night that we spent a millennium searching to eliminate. We debated for the greater part of the morning about telling you about it, but -”
“At least for your safety and the safety of the school, we are informing you now,” Aklia continued. “Seven thousand years ago, over the centuries my dear brother fell to a new low. He made it his mission to spite me and all of the Slayers and Guardians that followed my path after death and to demonstrate his power. This is the darkest part of Guardian/Slayer history that we must inform you about...”
“What did he do?” Sanaya's thoughts reverted back to the increasingly frequent conversations she's had with Cain. The entity slowly but surely gained her trust, going so far as to help heal her when she needed him most. Panic crept in and she tried to force it from the forefront of her mind, but it would not be deterred. She waited for Aklia to finish her story.
“Over that time frame, dozens of Slayers were born and trained by at first the best of the best Guardians before The Vatican and The Academy were built. And it was during that time, Cain turned seven of them, forever damning them and stripping away their names from the Guardian Archives.”
“Wait a minute,” Sanaya demanded, taking her time sitting up. Eve leaned across the bed to give her a boost and to place a pillow behind her for support. “How? I thought we all were immune to vampire bites.”
“You are, but not from Cain's. Remember, Cain is the Father of all Vampires, as I am the Mother of all Slayers so to speak. We share the same bloodline.”
“But how? And why only seven?”
“We think free will has a lot to do with how he could turn the huntresses into vampires. These women had some issues within their individual souls that made it easy for his toxin to override their naturally impenetrable immunity. They had to want it. That is the technicality he used to his advantage.”
Sanaya's heart could not stop racing. She knew Cain had an agenda when it came to her. This was all a game.
“Those seven huntresses turned vampires wreaked so much havoc, as quickly as civilizations were built, they were destroyed. Thousands of Guardians were killed. A specialized infantry of angels came down and eradicated four of them, while the other three went missing and have not been seen since.”
“But we are certain that they still exist,” Raya stated firmly. “So certain we recognized one of them off in the Mediterranean. Her name is Annalia and from what I can recall from the Pools of Knowledge, she was the worse Huntress ever born.”
“Yes. Her arrogance forced her own team of Guardians to rebel against her,” Aklia said sadly. “I could not believe that one of my own would not deserve to carry my blade. After she turned twenty- one and the time came for her to go out into the world, on her own as a mature Huntress, I refused to show up at the ceremony in which I was to appear and personally hand her my blade. Prior to her transition, her own Guardian tribe pleaded to the heavens to have her sword stripped away. She had become tyrannical, to say the least, often using her status to get whatever she wanted, and that is not what a huntress does. She always held a grudge towards me for not showing up at her ceremony.”
“We have no idea what provoked her appearance recently,” Natasha added. “We have scouts searching for her everywhere, but thought it best that you heard it from us, in the event she tries to attack the school.”
“If she does make an appearance, Sanaya,” Aklia instructed as her tone became more serious; “Do not engage her. She is almost as old as I am and you, young one, as powerful as you are, you are not yet seasoned enough. She is my responsibility. Should she arrive, we will be sending you and your Guardian team to safety. Understood?”
Sanaya nodded. She watched as the three Council members rose to their feet and joined hands, as an opening of bright white light formed behind them.
“We will once again send sentries to stand guard over the school until we can figure out what is going on,” Aklia said as they disappeared into the light. “Until then, be well Sanaya!”
Once the light completely faded, Eve plopped down on the edge of the bed, sighing with defeat. “Man, the bullshit never stops around here...damn!”
Sanaya closed her eyes and rested her head against the pillow. “No, it does not. We have to have a meeting. There is something I need to tell you.”
Chapter Nine
Archer slowly but steadily took a seat on the first row of the bleachers in the gym next to Eve. Poor thing—She looked worn out, beat up and the hung out to dry. Fatigue riddled her body, which then seeped into his. He reached over and gingerly smoothed her hair back. She welcomed it and rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled when soon after, he felt the gentle vibration coming from her chest. Purring. Her contentment was something that even on his worst day, he would find himself grinning from ear to ear.
They watched as more Guardians filed in one by one. Some laughing and joking around, others taking a more serious approach by observing everything and anything that came their way. Sanaya's team was already present, isolated in their own corner of the bleachers, goofing off and laughing as expected from teenagers and young adults -with the exception of King and Sanaya. Both of them were lost idly in their thoughts, with King taking a protective position next to Sanaya. Yeah, the young Guardian already knew what was up, and the shit had him worried, and rightfully so. When the rest of the Guardians found out what was at stake, he could almost guarantee that a few of them would be putting in their pink slips.
He waited for the last Guardian to come in and take a seat, and for the first time in many years, the gym was filled to capacity. Every active Guardian that was present on campus showed up, totaling almost three hundred. He watched as Sanaya inhaled deeply and took a stand with King behind her. He kissed Eve's hand when she rose to her feet to meet Sanaya in the center of the gym to face the anxious Guardians with
the bad news.
Sanaya nervously fingered a loosely hanging braid, while King took her other hand into his. He gave her a reassuring smile, and the electricity between the two became palpable. Their chemistry covered the room like an invisible blanket, branching out with a gentle caress before seeping into Archer's pores. Archer glanced at Eve as she cleared her throat preparing to speak.
“Good evening everyone,” Eve announced.
The room murmured in response, with some hooting and hollering in cheerful banter. Eve and Sanaya shared an uneasy glance before Eve continued. “This is the first time in ages we have held a meeting of this size. Normally, the information that is about to be provided is for senior level Guardians only. But, the circumstances are different....”
Eve paused, allowing her statement to sink in. Normally Archer led these impromptu meetings, but he still needed time to heal. She looked over at him for support, and he winked at her, silently encouraging her to continue.
“This afternoon,” she continued, “after Sanaya was discharged and returned to her room, we received a visit from The Council, which as you all know has become more frequent. Aklia informed us of another threat besides Cain, referring to her as one of The Seven – former Slayers from the past that were turned by none other than The Father of All Vampires.”
Eve waited for the bomb to drop, and when it did, the explosion was immense. Guardians jumped out of their seats in a panic. Some stared at her in utter shock and disbelief. Congo, and Asim who’s one of the church assassins, stepped forward to try and help calm everyone. But it was chaos, pure unadulterated chaos.
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” One Guardian shouted leaping to her feet. “You mean even a Slayer isn't immune?”
“We're screwed,” came the slow southern drawl of another Guardian. “I might as well put in for retirement.”
-“Who are 'The Seven'?”
-“So what does that mean?”
“LISTEN!” Sanaya's voice rang out echoing from wall to wall, paralyzing each Guardian where they stood. Every eye was on her as she took in deep breathes to calm her racing heart. The purpose of this meeting was to put every able- bodied Guardian on alert, not scare them into retirement and panic mode. They needed to be ready for whatever was coming for them. With Selene and her thirst for Guardian blood, Cain and now the last of The Seven, they needed solidarity and a concrete plan of action.
“Listen,” Sanaya repeated. “I know this is a lot to digest. We just barely survived another attack recently. We lost dozens of Guardians and we still continue to lose Guardians by the day. We even have to address the threat that was issued against us recently by none other than that vampire bastard Petronius. I ain’t forgot. He showed up on campus, crossing prayer barriers like a boss and threatened us – gave me an ultimatum. However, we have The Council working with us now, which is something they never really did before. Now, out of all of the Slayers born, only seven were turned. Seven. Aklia explained that it had to do with Cain sharing a bloodline with all of us – Slayers and Guardians alike – and the fact that their free will lowered their natural resistance to vampire bites. They wanted him to turn them – wanted, being the operative word. So let's not panic.”
“What do you mean let's not panic, darling?” came the disgruntled voice of a six- foot three Guardian who looked like he could have played the position of a linebacker for any popular American football team. His piercing gray eyes glared at her and Eve, silent accusation filling them coupled with the quiet pain of loss. “You are not even old enough to lead a hunt on your own. So until then, all of us Guardians have to take the heat until you can go out there and fight.”
“Ay man,” King growled. “Obviously you don't know sh-”
“Our huntress recently led her team on a major hunt,” Eve said defensively. “She was called by The Council and sent to Louisiana where she and her current team of young Guardians defended a church filled with wounded and dying seasoned Guardians and managed to hold their own, including taking out a Reaper.”
The gym once again fell silent, but the older Guardian would not back down. “That's great sweetheart,” he spat, moving away from his seat on the second row of the bleachers and approaching Eve and Sanaya. King gently pulled Sanaya behind him and stepped in front of her and Eve. Congo was the first out of his seat with Archer taking a stand.
“I lost family, friends... almost lost my own life many a time,” he continued as he approached. “And you have the audacity as a goddamn junior, who has yet to feel firsthand what a real battle is -”
“Jim,” Congo's deep voice called out softly. “I think you need to back the fuck up and calm down.”
“No man. It's about goddamn time that she knew this, because one day, she is going to stand in front of her team and try to explain some shit, whether it is her fault or not, just to make it right in the eyes of her team.”
“We get it Jim,” Eve replied calmly. “But please have a seat. Would you have preferred that we not tell you?”
When Jim did not immediately respond, Eve continued. “We called this meeting to provide all of you with full disclosure as to what is taking place. When all of you stepped up and answered the call to become Guardians, you knew going in what was at stake. You have fought and survived countless battles and I commend you. I do. I commend all of you, but at the end of the day, we have a job to do and the journey for this young lady is about to begin. You think the job as a Guardian is hard? She -” Eve emphasized “she” by pointing at Sanaya before continuing. “The role as the Slayer comes with an incredibly heavy burden, and we were not blessed with the twenty-one year window to prepare her. She barely arrived at our school last year, and for those of you who don't know, she already reached Slayer maturity a few weeks ago- 3 years earlier than expected- which is unheard of! It is her destiny to fight The Seven, and put an end to Cain. Not ours. We just have to hold the line until she is ready. Think about that before you start bitching about how hard life as a Guardian is.”
Eve waited for further dissension from Jim and the other Guardians who all just looked on without uttering a word. She quickly ran a palm through her hair and glanced at Sanaya whose serious expression turned grave. More Guardian lives could be potentially lost behind this new threat. The Elders at The Vatican were issuing out a code red to all Guardian cells around the world. New recruits had just arrived on campus and there was now the uncertainty of what to do with them. She felt Archer's fatigue which put a dent in her own energy levels.
“Now does anyone else have anything to say?” She asked after a beat. “Any more concerns or pent up emotions you would like to address? Please speak now before this meeting is adjourned.”
Jim returned to his seat without further protest. Congo stood next to Eve with his arms folded, watching for any more sudden moves or outbursts.
“Good. We will be emailing you guys with updates as we learn more details. Classes and scheduling will continue, but we will be pulling some of our Guardians from certain regions to assist in potential hot spots. Meeting adjourned....”
Sanaya exhaled and walked with King back to the bleachers to meet the faces of her terror -stricken friends. Guardians rose from their seats, some lingering around in small groups, others heading straight for the exit without a second glance in Eve’s direction. A few, flocked over to where Sanaya stood, surrounding her with hugs, and trying to engage her in conversation. Eve watched the grim expressions from the younger Guardians, mentally taking note of who may or may not be prepared for what was to come. Lisa as always remained quiet, retreating to her own pool of thought. One never really knew if the girl ever got her feathers ruffled, because the specially trained martial arts student always portrayed a cool and calm demeanor. King and Trent both looked like they were ready for war. Jaws clenched, eyes focused, with arms folded across their chests. Bullet on the other hand, bounced anxiously from foot to foot. His pale blue eyes darting between King and Sanaya nervously while Charlie and Maria sat with
doe eyed expressions, biting their nails. Danny looked good to go with his laidback demeanor. The tattoos on his hands and neck told stories of the horror he’d already experienced, therefore, nothing rattled this kid. He was destined to be a Guardian. His friend Tony leaned against the plastered wall, black sunglasses rendering him impossible to read. Eve sighed.
“Don’t worry about it sis,” Congo said as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “They needed to know.”
“Yeah…,” She shrugged. “They did.”
“We gon’ be alright sis,” Congo added, glancing in Sanaya’s direction.
“I hope so Congo…I really do….”
Chapter Ten
Daemon chuckled to himself as he took a seat at the table seated for two at an expensive restaurant across from Selene in London. Why she picked this particular place to meet, directly centered in a tiny space filled with the various scents of unsuspecting humans was beyond him. Thankfully he’d fed and he could only hope that Selene had too, otherwise there would be a repeat of what happened in New Orleans. She stared at him, her irises normalized to the natural dark green color that gave her an exotic appearance. Her dark brown skin looked radiant in the low light. She wore a blood red, off-the-shoulder, skin tight dress that accentuated every curve, and exposed just the right amount of skin. Daemon imagined she was not wearing any underwear and with a wicked grin, he reached underneath the table, easing her thighs apart to discover his guess was right. He removed his hand slowly, and licked his fingers as she watched, her eyes flickering crimson.
“So,” Daemon began. “What made you decide to summon me and to here, of all places?”
She smiled, showing a small crest of fang. “Isn’t this place wonderful?” Tilting her head back she inhaled slowly, licking her lips. “I think I will take the chef back to my place tonight…”
A young waitress approached their table, dressed in the standard black slacks with white blouse, offering a toothy grin. Daemon smiled seductively at the blonde, his eyes lit with the promise of pleasure, which instantly made her face flush a bright red. Selene scowled but maintained her composure by pretending to take a sip of the ice water that rested in front of her.
The Vampire Hunters Academy: The Reckoning Page 5