“Just the Vampyres? Or more?” I asked.
“Just the Vampyres for now. We’re on constant alert. We’ve got watchers and the Great Spirit, and the Gods and Goddesses will let us know when something is coming or when something isn’t right.”
“Did they warn you about the Vampyres?” I asked. Ok, I was being a smart ass.
“We actually sniffed them out before we got any kind of warning.” He tapped my nose with this finger.
“So you can’t always rely on them then…” I sighed.
“Child…”
“I know I should have more faith and trust those that which is around us.” I shook my head. He was smiling.
“You got it.”
All this time we were walking towards the house through the village, which really hasn’t changed too much over all the years. The villagers eyes were on me, watching my every move. Some of those who were outside seemed to be happy to see me home. I’m sure my father had been a wreck all that time I was away.
Curtains were being lifted inside all the houses that we passed. I did my best to try and not make it obvious that I was aware they were all doing that. But my father knew what was going on. And he too was doing his best to “not see it”.
“So if they pose no threat then why did Huyanna tell me I was needed and had to come home?”
“Your destiny lies here in our world. In these states. Not out there in the rest of the world. Here it will start. And here it will end.”
“Well, that’s just um, reassuring.” I said as we had gotten to our front porch.
“I’m going to let Huyanna know you’re home. Go on and get cleaned up my daughter.”
Everything in the house was still the same as it was when I left. Very plain. This may have been the late sixteen hundreds, but we are very advanced people. Everything looked almost the same now as it did then. Just with electric and plumbing added eventually. We’re always ten steps ahead of the outside world. And no white man can ever come here and take this all away from us. There is more magick here then one could ever imagine. It keeps us safe and protected.
“Angel.” Huyanna came towards me with open arms. “May I?” She gestured to her temples with her pointer fingers.
“Of course.” I took my hands and placed them near her temples. I was giving her visions of the entire happenings the past few years that I had been gone. Visions from the day I left until the day I returned. Minus the boat ride home with William.
“Well, then…” She said in an exhausted way. “That is quite the journey you took. Come. To my hut we go.”
I followed her silently towards the big cliff over looking the water. It had to have been high noon now, because the sun was directly above us.
“Sit. Sit.” She smiled pointing towards the spot next to her.
“Why did you call me home Huyanna? Those Vampyres are no threat. And I was so close to…never mind.”
“Yet.” She threw a piece of wood into the fire. Blue flames shot up. She ignored that tiny bit I’d said at the end.
“Yet? Ever?”
“I know your father needed you home as well. Many great things will be happening in the years to come.”
“Such as?” I asked.
“The birth of a new Chief.” She paused, looking up at me. “Your destined partner and soul mate will come. Big cities will go up and more humans will come in making a lot of trouble for us. So on and so forth.” She waved with her hands.
The thought of her mentioning my soul mate made my thoughts wander to Kane. It hurt my heart so badly to think of him and how I had just left him there. I know that telling him what went on between him and I didn’t mean anything, had hurt him badly. It may have hurt him more than it hurt me, but what else was I supposed to do? Well, I could’ve told the truth.
“You’re thinking about this man you met, the one I saw in your visions, the one called Kane.” She stated.
“Yes.” I sighed.
“You did what you had to do. And trust that you will see him again someday.”
I nodded, “So that is all you’re going to give me on future happenings?” I changed the subject.
“There will always be bloodshed my dear child, you already know that.”
“Mhmm.” I said.
“It always will be about power and control, between the species. Who is better? Who is wiser? Who is stronger? Who has more brains? Blah. Blah. Blah.” She made an annoyed sound. “And someday the humans will enter the picture. They’ll claim they act on their God’s behalf and insist everyone who is different be murdered. You wait and see. Those humans will destroy everything we have worked so hard for.”
“But this is our world. Not there’s.”
“True enough.” She folded her hands together. “A time will come when all differences will have to be set aside and a combining of differences will save us all.”
“So cryptic.” I muttered.
She grinned. “Are you prepared to do whatever is necessary?”
“All the time.”
“A spontaneous soul.”
“My father’s fault.” I looked up at her.
“Actually it was your mother who was like that, from what I have heard. But you are very much like your father.” She threw another piece of wood on the fire. Green flames shot up this time. “It’s time to purify your soul. To take the blood off your hands.” She stretched her hands out reaching for me to take a hold of hers. I did. The flames danced there way over towards us, sideways engulfing our hands.
The flames became white and cold. I gasped for air and started shivering. I looked up at her, her eyes were shut and her head facing up towards the sky. Her mouth opened and she started to chant in an ancient language. It was like a prayer to the spirits asking them to help me find my way and to take away the blood stains that were on my hands and in my soul. I don’t know if it was helping or not. I couldn’t feel anything much happening, just the coldness going down my body and into my veins. My bones started to ache. I wanted to draw my hands out of the flames and get out of this hut. But I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed where I sat. That is when I first saw them.
There was white mist all around me, and it felt like hands holding me down. I was trapped. There were bodies dancing around me in the hut, singing out loud and wouldn’t let me move. I started to slowly sink away into the darkness. I had this sort of tunnel vision going on. I saw only the white fire in front of me. Everything went silent. Then everything went dark. I felt like I was falling and then…a jump. I hit hard.
“Awake my child.” My father’s voice was calling to me.
“Hmm…” I stirred. I opened my eyes to see that I was in my bedroom laying on my many blankets on the floor. The light outside was fading and the crickets were starting to sing. Little fireflies were passing by my window inviting me to go out and play like I used to when I was a child. The room started spinning.
“Her soul has re-entered.” Huyannas voice spoke to me but directed at my father.
“Just in time.” My father smiled.
“Caleb, she’ll need a few minutes to get her self together.”
“Of course.” His foot steps left the room.
Huyanna was still there, “Can you sit up?” She knelt down next to me.
“Yes.” I sat up slowly. “What happened?” I sounded so innocent.
“Your soul left your body during the cleansing. It was almost as if your soul wouldn’t allow it. You will always have the blood on your hands and inside your soul.”
“Well, I’ve lived this long.” I stood up and looked around for my clothes.
“Yes, well…” Huyanna stood as well, walking over to the window. “This shall be our secret my dear child.”
“What?” I put a new clean shirt on and turned to look at her.
“Your father thinks that it worked. There’s so much more to you then they all think. Though you’re still much of a mystery to me, I know bette
r Angelica Fowler. You’re definitely a gift from the Gods.” She looked at me like she was hiding something from me. I knew she was hiding something from me.
Huyanna wasn’t just a Shaman. She was a Pagan as well. A follower of the old ways. After being around for all these past centuries, one tends to pick up on other ways of life. “Ready then?” She turned towards me in a hurry. She looked me up and down. “Won’t you wear the dress?” She smirked.
“Huyanna, seriously?”
“Yes. Seriously. These travelers clothes will not do.” She crossed her arms.
“I don’t exactly want to draw anymore attention to myself in the buckskin dress covered in color. Not today.”
“Very well.” She laughed. She looked at my clothing again giving me a defeated sigh.
I had my hair down, long and combed. I had dyed black linen tunic and brown leather pants with bare feet. Then, that was my “getting dressed up in a ritual kind of clothing” as I got.
“Come then.” She walked towards the door. As she opened the door the howling outside had begun, and the room had lit up from the sacred fire outside in the middle of the village.
“It’s started.” I said moving fast towards the door. Huyanna stood aside.
“Angel!” My father yelled from down the stairs.
“Coming.” I ran down the stairs towards him. There was nothing more that I loved than being with my people.
Huyanna gracefully descended behind me. My father took my hand in his and brought it to his lips kissing the back of my hand. “My Angel.” He smiled. There is no greater love than a parent’s love.
We walked out into the village, and the wolves were scattered everywhere. Rayna and Micah with their families across the fire. My father squeezed my hand. The fire was about ten feet tall and it towered like a volcano, it was like heat on a hot summer day. The air itself was a bit cold to the skin while away from the fire.
Though fall was almost upon us, the harvest had already started for us. The days were shortened, and the snow would be here before we knew it. It would be another cold winter in what was known as New Netherland.
My father led me over to where he was sitting, and we sat together at the front of the fire. The full moon was bright above our heads, smiling down at us in all of her glory. Tonight I saw our ancestors and the greater spirits were with us. They danced among us weaving in and out and in between our people blessing us and our harvest at every touch.
The drums and flutes started playing, and the dancers led by Huyanna, started to stomp around the fire. Dressed in beautiful designed deerskin and feathers, and all of their faces painted in colors, it was amazing to watch.
Looking to my father, tonight he looked wise. He’d been the one person I had looked up to all my life. The man who raised me as a wolf and a part of this village. He raised me when no one else would. Though I may be a hybrid and not quite “human”, he loved me just the same. I’d been a miracle to him, and he was my savior. It always gave me chills to think about how things would have been if I was put in the wrong hands as a baby, or if no one had ever found me there inside of my mother.
The drumming went on for hours into the night. We feasted and thanked the Gods and Goddesses, our Great Spirit and ancestors for the blessings they sent to us.
Daylight came as we all still danced, and slowly one by one the wolves disappeared into the forest to the East, facing the new day. It had been a long night, and the village would be quiet today as we peacefully rested before the start of the harvest. It had been a great year, the fields were full of the foods to help us survive and the meats from the hunt were salted and stored. It was the time of hibernation and silence on our great earth, and to that, the Vampyres were moving in next door.
What would they feed on in the winter hours? As the animals all sleep, and travel to our borders where it is safe. There were colonies of those who had come from across the seas, would they feed on them? I knew not much of the Vampyres habits and how they survived, besides blood.
The winter would definitely be a challenge. Our friends, the wolves, would be a constant watch over the months to come. Seeing them out in the woods, they never relaxed. They never stood still. They were on constant alert with their wide eyes peering into the shadows.
All winter I ran with them, with light feet. Through the snow, passing the trees, watching the shores and the hills, checking our borders to keep those from the village safe. To keep some peace. Though it was me the Vampyres wanted. And since they have arrived, they did not seem interested. Was this the quiet before the storm? Or were they truly not interested anymore? That sounds too good to be true.
“Did you sleep well my child?” Huyanna looked at me with wide eyes.
“I did.” I sat down next to her in her hut. The fire burning next to us.
“Your arm please.” She held out her hands. She took my left arm and picked up a small arrowhead blade.
“What are you going to do?” I asked her, scowling.
“Mark you.” She smiled.
Her blade began to dance across my forearm. She started humming an enchanting song as she went on. It hadn’t seemed like a long time had passed throughout the process.
“And the last of our berries until spring comes.” She held up a stone bowl showing them to me. She took a stone, crushing them. I watched her, amused with what she was doing. I was not able to tell what the marking was on my arm because there was a lot of blood there still. It wasn’t painful, and I didn’t mind. I’d had worse wounds than this.
She looked up and smiled at me, taking my arm again and rubbed the concoction into the cut. I watched.
“A wolf paw.” I smiled. She smiled back. “Wado.” I thanked her. “It’s beautiful.”
“You are welcome.” She said back.
Angel.
25.
Numb.
Present Time.
“I want the truth Lazarus!” I practically yelled.
“No need to shout.” He kept a straight face and showed no emotion.
“Then tell me what the hell is going on.”
“You’re the blame Angel.” He paused. I stood silently as if I were in shock to his words. I was the blame! The blame for what?
I was going to speak, and he knew it. His hand went up to stop me.
“Don’t you see Angel?” He sat like a statue. And Draven came closer to listen. “You are the reason for everything.” He sat forward. His arms still resting on the sides of the marble seat. “There are far worse things out there than us Vampyres and Werewolves.”
“It’s the humans.” Draven said suddenly.
“Shut your mouth Draven, this isn’t your concern.” Akuma turned quickly raising a hand towards Draven. Lazarus, like the speed of light, was out of his chair grabbing Akuma’s hand and shaking his head.
“This isn’t the time or place for punishment for simple words from a boy.” He looked over to Draven with a small smile on his face.
Draven glanced over at me after Lazarus turned away, with a look of warning and questioning why I was here now. I made no response to him.
“He’s right though.” Lazarus said making his way back to his throne. “The humans play a role here.”
“Are you saying the humans killed my father?” I stepped forward. Akuma took a few steps forward. He’s a little uptight. I thought.
“Akuma, she is unarmed. She won’t hurt me. Not here in my own house. Please relax.” He looked at me, “She is to walk out of here unharmed.” He smiled. The first time I had seen a real smile come from a vile man like him. “No, Angel. I’m not saying humans killed your father. They are just the puppets in which someone pulls their strings.”
“So they are instruments?” I suggested.
“Possibly.” He sighed.
“No.” I shook my head. “You know a lot more than you are letting on. Why can’t you Vampyres just say what is on your mind without dodging questions or being all cryptic?”
I threw my hands in the air with frustration.
“There is a greater evil out there, and someday, all differences will have to be pushed aside so that we may all work together to save ourselves and our species. And maybe even the rest of the world. Depending.”
‘That’s all you’re going to say? That there is a greater evil out there and we have to save the world? ‘Cause that’s a lot of help. And I have heard all of this before.” I crossed my arms looking at the three of them.
“I cannot tell you what I do not know. Do you think I would have left my home, where it is safe, in Romania to come here if it was not important?” He stood and walked towards me. “You be the voice of reason Angel.” He stood in front of me looking into my eyes. His eyes were the same as mine, the same as my mother’s. His daughter.
“How can I reason if I know not the cause?”
“Everything reveals itself.” He went to put his hand on my shoulder and then stopped. “You don’t trust me, and I don’t blame you.”
He turned towards the dark hall, “Draven, see her out and then come to my chamber.”
“Yes sir.”
“What about my father?” I yelled.
“What about him?” Lazarus turned around. “He is at peace now Angel, he’s…”
I cut him off. “Don’t you dare talk about him like you care or ever cared. And he’s not at peace. He was murdered. A bullet went into his heart. No murdered soul is ever at peace until it has been avenged.”
“My daughter cared, that is enough for me.”
“You had her killed!” I screamed.
“I was a different man then.”
“You’re not a man Lazarus, you’re a monster.”
Lazarus stood still showing no emotion in his face. Akuma had his fists clenched, but Lazarus kept his eyes on the ground like he was searching for some words to say. As if it was written there on the floor for him to read and speak out. I turned to leave.
Fate of the Blood Moon's Path Page 21