The sun was just now setting down over the lake. It was a beautiful night and the clouds were rolling in over the north, and the fog was starting to roll in the forest and roll out on the ground like a blanket. Things were quiet and calm, all but the sounds of the excited heartbeats of those who were sitting here at the council.
“Welcome friends.” The head of the Elders stood wobbling in place. He looked so fragile there in his spot. “We are gathered here today because of our natural born enemy. They lay dormant for quite sometime now…it is time to defeat them for good.” There was a loud cheer from the crowd. He raised his hands to quiet them down. “We must decide tonight, and act on it as soon as we can. They can no longer inhabit these parts of the forest while we are still here.” His speech went on.
I blocked it all out. I was too focused on the forest. I knew there were eyes and ears focused on our gathering and I was trying to locate them. No one else could sense it because they were all to focused on the man speaking in front of them. I found the part of the forest they were in. Just up on the hill; once you were up there you could see down into the village through the trees. I turned and looked up, my eyes, though he was far away, still spotted him, and a few others with him.
My father stood to speak. He stood quietly for a moment until he knew he had my full attention. I nodded to him. He looked brilliant up there. It was like he was born to be in this position. He may not look a day over forty , but those of us who knew his true nature, knew that he was kind hearted and a loving man. When he spoke, all time stood still.
“We have no choice…” He liked his dramatic pauses. “We have to find the flame and put it out. There are innocent people dying…and not by our hands. Yet we are to blame. It is starting again. We will not be driven away from here! We have spent a few hundred years here without trouble from human kind. Now they look at us like we are to blame because we own the forest. They think we are here practicing devil worship and using these hikers and campers, these humans, as our sacrifices. I will not let this go on. We are fortunate enough to have hunters and trackers here. Our hybrids. They have offered their services to go out there…my daughter.” A sparkle came to his eyes as he looked over at me, motioning with his hand, “Come.” He said and reached down for me to take his hand to stand up. I gracefully flew to my feet.
I could see the image of Draven in my head, and the figures around him that I couldn’t make out, though I was listening to my father speak, and trying to figure out what it was that I would say. It was my duty to speak for me and my kind, the hybrids, and to let my people know our plans.
I didn’t know what to say. I had all of these doubts in my head, and I didn’t know how to make the words come out so that people would feel safe having me, Rayna, and Micah out there. I needed help. I saw Draven smile at me. I may have amazing eyesight, but I didn’t want to draw attention towards the forest where they were. I wanted the full attention on me.
“My friends…” I started to speak. I looked around at all of the faces, all watching me, all waiting to hear what I had to say. In the village there were about one hundred people, and that’s how many eyes I had on me. “For a few years now the Vampyres lay quiet not bothering us. Not bothering anybody. I am not jumping to conclusions, not yet anyways. I have my doubts, and I’m sure others do as well.” I paused. “In all my long years I have come across things that were far more evil than the Vampyres.”
I looked at the Six staring at me. James was furious with my words. “Rayna, Micah and I are going to the forest for the weekend. We will hunt. We will track. We will take down.” Everyone cheered and clapped. “We will find out what is going on and we will fix this. Our people will not need go anywhere. We’ve lived here for so long. We call this place our home, where we are free.” More cheering came from all of our people. “Tonight we celebrate our people, our kind, and our freedom. Tomorrow, we fight to keep our lands and our freedom!”
I could see Draven’s face in my minds eye. He didn’t look happy with my words either. He wanted me to stay out of the forest. I saw him try to reassure his buddies of my speech.
The drummers started their rhythmic beat and the people started dancing and this continued on into the early hours of the morning. The Six and many others were up there stomping around the fire. I could see the great spirits with the fire and in the smoke. A few of the others had shifted into wolf form and were running circles around our people, and around the dancers. They were playfully nipping at each other, running up to people and licking their faces, purposely knocking others down and then running away. It had been a very long time since we had had an event like this at the village.
For the rest of the night I stayed next to Rayna and Micah. Tomorrow we would leave to track down whatever was out there.
I could not protect all these people, but at least I could try. The rest of my people were to stay at the village where it was safe. Where they could remain safe through out the weekend while we were tracking. The forest was vast. It would take us some time.
Angel.
8.
Tracking.
Present Time.
“You know what you’re doing right?” My father asked me while watching me intently. He was pacing back and forth with his arms crossed.
“Dad,” I sighed. “Everything is going to be fine.”
“I hope you’re right.” He sighed back at me.
“You know you worry too much.” I said to him as I put my 12-gage over my shoulder.
“Yes, I do.” He said while watching me put my daggers in their sheaths on both my legs and my forearms. He shook his head and rolled his eyes at me.
“You really don’t have to worry. We don’t even know what is out there.” I looked at him. “I’m just making sure I’m ready.” I motioned to my weapons.
“I think I’m worried because I don’t know what is really out there. There is this part of me that truly thinks it’s not the Vampyres.”
“Really? I think that way too.” I said.
“I know that they are smarter than that. They would have never left the victims like that. And if they did, and wanted to pinpoint us as the killers, they would have torn the bodies up like a wild animal would.”
“They left mom laying there,” I said.
“Because I was coming for them and did not want to be around the wrath of a wolf scorned.” He smirked then frowned.
I watched my father as all of the memories came flashing back into his mind. I hated seeing him like that. I was sorry I had even brought it up.
“If it is the Vampyres, and all they want is me, I should just give myself to them. As long as they leave the rest of you alone.” I didn’t look up at him.
“No. Absolutely not. How long have we tried to keep you out of their hands and now; now you just want to hand yourself over to them. Who knows what they would do with you.”
“They wouldn’t kill me, would they?”
“Who knows what they would do Angel. I always thought that they wanted you dead. But now, I just don’t know. No one knows.” He said.
“If it comes down to it father, I will do what I feel I have to do.”
“Oh Angel…” He sighed. “Be careful.” I watched him walk away giving me one last smile. He knew I would return.
“You ready?” I heard a voice come from the front screened door. It was Rayna who was standing there dressed in all black with her many different weapons. I saw Micah standing on the stairs behind her. His nose to the air, dressed in black as well with his weapons slung over his back and around his waist.
“Yea. I’m ready.” I looked back to see my father, but he was not there. I heard the back door slam shut just as I turned to look.
I had my old faded blue jeans on and a black halter top with my long black trench coat. We all had on our combat type boots. I figured it was going to be a long weekend, so I thought I’d dress comfortably.
“Then lets get going.” I heard Micah say
in an anxious tone from outside the door. I turned back to face the front door where Rayna had stood. She was silently walking down the stairs, Micah wrapped his arm around her. Some days, I prayed for something like what they had. But other days, I thought it would just get in the way.
“Alright. Lets go.” I smiled at them.
Almost everyone was outside watching us leave. Yet, no one would leave their front porches. They all stood very still watching us walk towards our destination.
I turned to look for the Six, but I didn’t see them anywhere. I sighed to myself. I just didn’t want them to get hurt. Why couldn’t they understand that? I wanted them to understand that; James especially.
I would get through this weekend and do what I had to do. This is now. That is one thing that I have learned. The future is going to happen no matter what I do. That’s all there is to it. Once you are born, your destiny is set in stone. Only the little things can change. There is no right or wrong path to choose. It chooses you. And there is no right or wrong decisions pointing you in the right path, you decide the right track. Even though every path will lead to the same outcome.
“So where to?” Rayna asked as we entered the forest.
“Up.” I said simply as I looked toward the trails.
“Towards the meadow?” Micah asked me suspiciously.
“Yes.” I sighed. “Towards the meadow. That is where everything has been going on. Or, has happened.”
“And you’re sure that you want to go up there?” Rayna asked.
“What choice do I have?” I kept walking, not making eye contact with either of them.
“I just thought…I don’t know.” Rayna started.
Micah cut her off, “Why don’t we split up? We each take a different path and meet at the top. That way we don’t miss anything.”
“That sounds good to me.” I smiled at them. “I’ll take this one.” I pointed towards the right. This path went towards the shoreline. I knew who would be there, and I didn’t want Rayna or Micah to run into him.
“I got this one.” Micah said, going left, as he kissed Rayna on the forehead. Rayna took the one that we were all on already
“See you at the top.” She gave us both thumbs up.
I could see and hear Draven’s thoughts. I knew he’d be out here. I heard other thoughts, which meant that he wasn’t alone. If any of them got sniffed out by my fellow trackers, that’d be the end of the Vampyre innocence I had thought I could talk everyone into.
There’s this huge part of me that doesn’t want to hate the Vampyres anymore, and I can’t figure out why.
Draven stepped out from behind a large tree on the cliff area, and smiled at me.
“Where are your friends?” I asked him.
“Out there somewhere.” He motioned with his hand.
“You know that you don’t need to be out here. I’m a big girl, I can handle this myself. I’ve been doing it a long time.”
“Cocky.” He leaned against the tree.
“Not really.” I glared at him.
“I was given an order to come out here with my men, and that’s what I did. Who am I to decline? I‘m given an order, then I give out the orders. It‘s just a big circle Angel.”
“Other wise you will so tragically be killed for disobeying an order…blah, blah, blah. I got it.” I said, being a smart ass.
“Don’t your people give orders like this?” He asked, now crossing his arms with a questioning look on his face.
“No. Far from.” I stated. I started to walk back up the path some more. He was right on my heel.
“Why is that?” I could feel his eyes on me looking up and down. I saw in my head that he was looking at my gun strapped to my back, and the rest of me.
“Why is what?” I asked.
“Your order giving…” He started and I cut in.
“The Elders suggest orders to the Chief, my father, but I am not really like the others, remember?”
I heard him snort a laugh. “But you give orders to those who came out here with you and you held back the others.”
“I don’t really give orders to Rayna and Micah. We are equals in my eyes…We do our best to work together.”
He was at my side now, “You are first in command, are you not? You shouldn’t treat them as your equals.” He raised an eyebrow with his question. “Have you not told them about me?”
“No. And I don’t intend to.”
“I suppose that makes sense.” He nodded. “I’ll take my leave now. I won’t be far, but what haunts this forest will be out at night. You have a few hours.” Before I could ask him what he was talking about, he was already gone. I could hear the footsteps of Rayna and Micah in the distance as we neared the top. The meadow would be in view soon enough. The place that I feared the most.
After we figure out what is haunting this forest, I would tell Rayna about him. I have to. I cannot keep him a secret from her. I trust her with my secrets and any information that I give her. It already looks like she knows that I am hiding something from her anyways. She’ll be asking me soon enough.
“I’m going to get some more wood for the fire.” Micah stood. He motioned for Rayna to stay seated. She did. “I’ll be fine. Man have big gun.” He tried acting macho, and it was quite comical. We both laughed at him. He was truly one of a kind.
“You’ve got yourself a comedian.” I continued to laugh as I went back to sharpening my knives.
“I know.” She laughed too. “Can I ask you something?” She looked at me with all seriousness now. I knew this was coming.
“Sure.” I looked back at her waiting for her questions.
“You’ve been acting strange lately.”
I cut her off. “That’s not a question.” I smiled.
“Wench.” She wrinkled her nose at me, “I’m getting there. Ok, so you’ve been acting strange lately, and I know that its not because of James. So you want to tell me why? There’s no ears out here to listen to us now.” She looked around.
“Oh there’s ears.” I whispered. “What makes you think it isn’t because of James?”
“Because you and James have fought a lot over the years, and you’ve never acted like this before. You always shake it off because you know he is just an immature little boy who needs to grow up.”
“True enough.” I laughed. “Um, no. You’re right. It is not because of James. I just have…a lot going on in my head.”
“So talk to me. You know you can. I’ve always been there for you, and I always will be.”
“Rayna…”
“We have known each other for how long now? You tell me everything. Please. Talk to me.” She leaned towards me.
I crossed my arms and leaned against the rock I was sitting next to.
I was about to open my mouth when we heard it. There was a loud bang, and then a gun went off in the opposite direction that Micah went in. Micah was at our sides in a flash like he was a super hero, minus the cape.
“What the hell was that?” Rayna asked.
“Whatever haunts the forest.” I said, in a mocking tone. Obviously neither of them got it. I could see a sneer from Draven in my head. He was close. As were his friends, and I was surprised that Rayna and Micah couldn’t sense them.
“Slowly.” I said to them as we made our way silently towards the noise. It was near the meadow. Great.
There were more shots in the distance, and sticks being broken. The noises were getting louder as we neared them. I reached around and grabbed my shotgun from my back. Micah grabbed for his knives, and Rayna her pistol she carried at her side.
“Psst.” Micah pointed in the direction he was going to take. You two stay together. He said to us telepathically. We both nodded, but Rayna’s was with a pleading look.
Just be careful. I’m not going to lose you. I heard her say back to him in both of our heads. He nodded to her, and she came up slowly behind me.
Aww you two are
so damn cute, can we go kill this thing now? I said to them both through our minds.
I saw a campfire in the distance. We took cover on the outside of the meadow in the tall grass. The tree’s near us were thick, and that’s where we saw Micah taking cover. The smell of blood was thick and metallic, burning our nostrils. I could see the look in Rayna’s eyes, and her pupils were becoming quite large. I’m sure that mine were doing the same. We both looked at each other and tried to hold our breath. It felt like we had swallowed hell.
“Did you think that you would survive?” A deep voice came out from the tree’s. Whom ever the voice was speaking to, didn’t speak back. There was a slight whimper that came from the girl’s mouth.
“Just a human girl.” Another voice said laughing out loud. It shook the leaves on the tree’s. All of whom ever was out there started laughing. This voice. I swear it sounded demonic.
This is when it all happened. This is when I heard it. There were no gun shots at first, but a clashing of blades. The fire when out, as if it were magick, and then there was a howl.
All three of us stay put. I said to Rayna and Micah. They both agreed.
Until we knew what we were up against, it would be best to just stay where we were. There’s nothing like going into a fight blind.
Once the blades and the gunshots were done, the fire re-lit itself and was even brighter. All there was left were dead bodies laying there in the light. Micah came up next to me and Rayna. All of our faces showing no emotions. None of us knew what to think about what had just happened. Just standing there with our feet planted there on the moss covered ground. The smell of blood was so strong it was almost unbearable.
Those who were dead; all humans. There was no other smell about them. It was definitely human blood, and they have the strongest smelling blood. The tastiest. The most satisfying.
Fate of the Blood Moon's Path Page 10