Fate of the Blood Moon's Path

by Tiffany Potter

  “Come.” I motioned forward. I stepped out of the weeds and walked towards all of the death.

  “There’s no one alive.” Rayna called over to me.

  “What the hell happened?” Micah asked me. “This is a child.” He knelt down next to the body. “Just a child.” His voice cracked.

  Four dead bodies, and we couldn’t save any of them. This was all very strange.

  “Look! Wolf tracks.” Rayna said as she neared the fire.

  “Are you serious?” I walked over.

  “What the hell…” Micah said.

  It had been a long weekend out there in the woods. All we found were dead bodies, blood, and some wolf prints. It didn’t make sense. I had decided that I was going to end up doing something drastic as I told my father I would. I had to go to the Vampyres. I had to find out what was going on. Somehow, I’d get there.

  It was a Tuesday night, around three in the morning, the witching hour, and surprise! I couldn’t sleep at all. I had too much going on inside my head. Like usual, I decided that I was going to take a walk outside by the lake. Probably not the brightest idea, but then again these days I didn’t really use my head a lot.

  “Is it smart to be out here alone?” I heard Draven’s voice from the darkened tree’s. I could sense others with him.

  “No.” I simply stated. I have to admit, I was a little nervous with the others standing there with him.

  “Then why are you out here?” He asked, coming into view and walking with me now.

  “Because this is my land and you’re not supposed to be here.” I smirked. “Perhaps I’m hoping to be abducted by aliens or something.”

  “That can be arranged.” He smiled. He turned and nodded to his friends. They took off in the other direction. “Why do you want to be abducted? Are you not happy here?”

  “Why do you look so familiar to me?” I stopped and looked up into his eyes.

  He didn’t say anything. He stopped in his tracks and stood still. He looked at the sand and the pebbles as if it were interesting. It truly was not. Why was he hesitating?

  “Why do you…” I asked again, being cut off.

  There was a quick moment of hesitation from him. With great speed, he had his arms wrapped around me tight and his lips came crashing down on mine. It felt like an eternity that we stood there taking each other in. Breathing deep and learning each others scents.

  Then it hit me. And it hit me hard. I knew who he was. I knew where I had seen him before. I stopped kissing him with passion, and it took a great effort to push him away from me. Wiping my mouth and turning around towards the lake with tears in my eyes. I was almost disgusted with myself.

  “Why?” I asked.

  He stared at me with a look of pain in his eyes.

  “You were there when Scarlet’s family was killed…”

  He said nothing.

  Angel.

  9.

  What Silence Holds.

  1646.

  I had never seen a sight that was quite like this one. Carriages that were made of gold and silver, crowns on the heads of all those riding inside. All the men on black and white draft horses, and were practically glowing in the dark.

  “Who are they?” I asked Quinn, who was now standing beside me. He must have followed me out here.

  “Only part of the Black Thorn.” He responded in a whisper.

  “Only part?” I asked him. I didn’t look over at him. I just kept staring at all of those who were passing by. They were dressed in navy blue cloaks with gold trim, prancing like they were royalty.

  “Yes. There are only few who come out. The rest are hidden.”

  “Hidden? Where?” I asked finally turning to him.

  “No one knows.” I turned and looked at him, we made eye contact.

  “Don’t let Scarlet out of your sight. I will return later this evening.” I said turning back.

  “You mean to follow them?” He asked me in surprise.

  “I do.” Was my response.

  “Are you bloody mad?” He paused. “You will only get yourself killed.”

  “If I’m lucky.” I stated. “Watch her.” I pointed towards the other side of the darkened woods where I knew Scarlet was located.

  “Fine.” He scowled. “You are sure you know what you’re doing?”

  “Can you smell me?” I asked him. He looked at me like I was crazy. “Can you?” I asked again.

  “No.” He was still confused.

  “Exactly. They will never know that I’m there.”

  With that I took off into the darkness. I stayed far away from them so they wouldn’t sense me. I was only curious to watch them and get a feel for who they really were. I’m pretty sure I knew what they would do to me if they caught me. I spent at least three hours following and tracking them. Then we came to their little, actually big, whichever you want to call it, hideout. I smelt smoke. Fire. And blood.

  I knew that I found them because of the smell of blood; it stung my nose like someone was holding a match under it.

  The Vampyre den was more like a rune site; what used to be a castle or an old mansion. There was a large hole in the ground and a tower standing next to it with stairs descending into the hole.

  They dismounted their horses and had the humans follow them. The Vampyres that were waiting jumped as fast as they could onto those well dressed, I’m assuming were royalty. Their lives were taken from them in seconds. A quick slice of the throat and the Vampyres like a pack of wild animals, jumped at the chance for blood.

  To live by the bloodlust is a curse within itself.

  “Come now! Save some for the King!” A voice called out. A tall man emerging from the hole in the ground.

  “Oh we did.” A sly smile came across a Vampyre who emerged from the carriage. He had his hands on a girl.

  “He’ll enjoy her.” He laughed with amusement. “She’s still pure.” His voice was sing song like.

  “What will I enjoy?” A very tall beautiful man floated up from the center of the ruins. He definitely had a god-like appearance. Short black hair and his eyes appeared to be glowing. He had a sort of long nose and a mischievous grin. He was wearing a long black robe that was dragging behind him, and a long silver chain around his neck with what looked like two wolf teeth dangling from it.

  This was not the man I saw who killed Scarlet’s family. This was the man that they called their King. My grandfather. This was the first time I have ever laid my eyes on him. He was a beautiful man, there was no doubt in that, but dangerous.

  “This prize.” A Vampyre smiled and threw her onto the ground by the Kings feet.

  “She sure is.” The King spoke. “What is your name child?” I felt like I had seen a scene like this before, like the one inside Scarlet’s memory.

  “LuSia.” She spoke with an accent. The air reeked of her fear.

  “Well, my pretty girl. You fear death?” He leaned down and inhaled her scent and looked deep into her eyes. “I think I may keep her as a play toy.” He laughed loudly. So loudly in fact the trees around me started to shake.

  “No. Please. Don’t.” The girl started pleading. “Just kill me.” She started sobbing.

  “Why should I do that?” The King asked.

  “You have taken everything from me. Please, just kill me. I have nothing left.” She dropped her face into the ground crying even harder.

  “Oh, my child…no need for tears. You will die. I promise that. Only the chosen live forever.” He laughed again, and so did everyone else.

  “No. No. Just kill me. God please just kill me!” She managed to yell out in-between her sobbing.

  “If I must, because there is no God here.” He reached down and snapped her neck with his one hand. Her body fell lifeless at his feet.

  He picked her up and bit into her neck hard. He took his head away and spit out the chunk of skin he had in-between his teeth. Her blood was gushing everywhere, and he drank i
t all. “Good till the last drop.” I heard another Vampyre say.

  His face was covered in blood, his eyes the only other color. “Ignorant humans! Don’t they know why they are brought out into the wild?” He laughed as he some how managed to lick off his chin with his long tongue. “Lilith!” He yelled loudly. Moments later a gorgeous woman emerged from the stairs behind him, out of the tower. She had bleached blonde hair, pulled up tight into a perfectly clean bun atop her head. Tall and very skinny, like a supermodel walking down the runway. She had on tight red clothing that looked like it had been painted on. Bare feet, and a black lace cloak covering her. She, too, had on a silver necklace with wolf teeth. At least I’m pretty sure they were wolf teeth.

  “My love.” She bowed her head.

  “We need another supply of humans by the next full moon. Tomorrow I need you to ride into the city and get us some more.” He reached down hooking her chin with his long pointer finger and kissed her lips with a gentle touch, leaving blood around her lips.

  “It shall be done.” She smiled at him.

  “Get these bodies out of here. We can’t afford a screw up and we don’t want to attract attention with the blood smell. Those mongrels would sniff this out sooner or later.” He commanded to his men as he walked towards the tower with Lilith at his side.

  I think that I had seen enough and heard enough for now. I had a very bad feeling about all of this. But what could I do? I said that I would help the Werewolves, so I am.

  “What did you see? What did you see?” Scarlet came at me fast bombarding me with questions. “Where did you go? Did you kill anyone? I smell blood on you, you had to of killed someone.”

  “No. I didn’t kill anyone.” I laughed at her, she was asking me questions like a small child would.

  “Then what happened?” Quinn asked as he walked over.

  “Nothing.” I made a look on my face that was telling him to not ask me any further questions right now. I was still processing everything myself. They all stood there just staring at me waiting for some sort of answer. I did not know how to answer the questions. I just grinned.

  I almost violently grabbed Quinn’s face and pressed my fingers to his temples and everything that I saw flashed across his mind. Every little detail and every word that was said. He stepped back and almost fell over after seeing everything.

  “You saw him?” Quinn yelled in shock.

  “Yes.” I stated simply. I took my coat off, revealing my weapons again and sat in front of the fire they had just started.

  “You saw him?” Scarlet asked. “What was he like? Would I be able to kill him?”

  “Um. No.” I laughed. “You will not be able to kill him.” I sighed. “I don’t think anyone would be able to kill him, to be honest. He has too many around him.”

  “Why the sighing?” Braeden sat down next to me asking.

  “Nothing. No reason.”

  “Show me.” Scarlet said.

  “I don’t think that it would be wise for you to see such things.”

  “She’s going to see it someday anyways.” Quinn laughed.

  “What he said.” Scarlet smiled.

  “Come.” I motioned for her to come over to me. She did. On her knees she went and I pushed my fingertips to her temples. Once again, the visions of everything went flashing in her mind. I heard her gasp for air and she fell backwards landing on to her butt.

  “Teach me that.” She said excitedly. We all laughed.

  “That is not something you can teach. You’re born with it.” I smiled.

  “Oh.”

  “Did you see anyone familiar?” Quinn asked Scarlet.

  “I don’t think so.” She was now sitting cross legged next to me looking into the fire as the flames grew.

  I merely suggest in the minds of Quinn and Braeden to leave us ladies to talk alone. Without questions they just got up and walked off towards the others who were discussing my return and trying to figure me out.

  “Where are they going?” Scarlet asked looking at them as they left.

  “A mere suggestion.” I smiled.

  “Seriously how do you do that?” She asked me with all curiosity.

  “Are you sure you’re not a cat?” I laughed.

  She looked at me like she didn’t know what I was talking about.

  “Never mind.”

  “Will you be here to help me?” She asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Will you be around longer to help me? To train me and such things?”

  “When I’m done here I will be heading elsewhere. I don’t think you should follow me. These people would take good care of you.”

  “I know. You’re right. But what if I wanted to go with you?”

  “My path, Scarlet, is to be traveled alone. At least for a while.”

  “Being alone isn’t always a good thing.”

  “I know. But you have to believe that our paths will cross again someday. We’ve all got our own path to follow.”

  “I know…” She sighed. “What if I don’t choose the right path after you leave?”

  “I think you will be alright. You just have to go with your gut, follow your heart, blah, blah, blah.” I smiled at her. She smiled back. “Besides, my whole life I’ve always been told that no matter what path you choose, it will always lead you to the same destination. You always do what you feel you have to do in that right moment and that will set up the next decision you will have to make. That’s the way it will always be.”

  “My parents taught me to never believe in that. That I had to put everything I had into God.”

  “That’s odd, considering.”

  “Considering what?” She asked.

  “What they were.”

  “So there is no God?” She asked.

  “I believe there is. It’s just different for everyone. Everyone has their own beliefs.”

  “And the afterlife? Will I ever see my family again?”

  “I was raised to believe in the spirit world. Yes, you will see your family again. I have no doubt in my mind that you will see them again. Faith…have faith.” I smiled.

  “Faith.” She repeated.

  “So are you going to tell me what really happened? What was it like seeing them?” She raised her eyebrow looking up at me from the corner of her eye. I could see her waiting for an answer.

  I wanted to keep my mouth shut and not tell her anything. I wouldn’t wish this life upon anyone. Yet here sat this innocent girl in front of me wanting to kill. She wants the life that I have. Out for blood, and to live for the kill. The blood lust always wins over creatures like us at some point. It’s her bloodlust that will over take her when that time comes to defeat her enemy.

  Should I deny her the same adrenaline rush that surged in my veins when I tracked and killed? Should I deny her vengeance for her family’s death? Should I deny her the simple pleasures of the bloodlust? To kill under the Blood Moon.

  “You’re a curious young cub.” I said.

  “Young cub?” She asked.

  I looked over at her from the corner of my eye, “Yes. Sticking their noses where they don’t belong.”

  She got defensive, “You’re saying that what you saw is not any of my business?” She scowled.

  “It isn’t that it’s not any of your business, it’s just that I don’t think you’re ready for it.”

  “Not ready for it? How can you say that? After all of the training you have put me through. And after everything you’ve started preparing me for.”

  “No. This isn’t what I started preparing you for. Ahead in the journey young one, there will be more opportunities for you to use these taught skills.”

  “No better time than now.” She stood up and grabbed her sword. “Lets go. We’ll take them by surprise.”

  “Are you insane?” I grinned at her. She amused me sometimes. “One does not simply walk into a place blind and with no plan.”
>
  “Then let’s make a plan.”

  “There isn’t going to be a plan.” I added, still looking up at her from the place where I sat.

  “Why?” She yelled at me. Catching the attention from some of the others who were surrounding us.

  I stood up. “This isn’t the time or the place for acting like a child.” I know that was a little harsh to say to her.

  She didn’t respond. She just simply turned around and walked off into the darkness of the forest. I knew that she would be fine because Quinn was right behind her.

  “What’s the matter with her?” Braeden came up along beside me.

  “Adolescence.” I stated and sat back down again.

  He laughed a deep laugh. “She’s young. Still innocent. I don’t think she understands the evils of the world yet. Give her time.” He took his jacket off and sat down next to me, showing off his muscles.

  “I know. I’m not used to being the parent.” I said back.

  “Did you ever think that maybe that is what she needs?” He looked over to me. “She’s been alone for the past five years.”

  “And I’ve been alone my whole life.”

  “And that was your choice, was it not?” He questioned me.

  “My choice or not, what choice did I really have, if you follow me.”

  “Understandable.” He paused, “So when are you heading back to the states?” He asked me, changing the subject.

  “Someday. For now,” I stood up. “I have something to do. I shall return in due time.” I smiled putting on my jacket, and putting my sword into its sheath.

  “Where is it that you are going?” He asked me curiously. “Do you need some company?”

  “This is something that I need to do alone.”

  “You are sure?” He asked.

  “I’ll return.” I looked down at him giving a quick smile.

  “She’s going to follow you.” He said.

  “So be it.” I said walking away into the darkened night.

  I remembered the way back to the Vampyres hideout, it was miles of darkness and trees. The smell of musky old decaying tree’s and plants under the darkness of the sky. Thick hedge and long paths to follow, and the smell of blood. Stale blood. The stench lingering in the westward winds. Blowing the smell straight into my throat. No matter how old the blood, the smell still burns. If I hadn’t spent all those years learning how to gain control, I would have lost it by now.