Chevalier wondered where this was going.
“The reason the Winchesters were so intent on killing the heku was because their family was known to our kind as being a ‘dulcris cruor’ or Sweet Blood, a trait handed down in the female line. Their blood called to any immortal around them, and they were haunted by violent attacks. Elizabeth, however, fell in love with one of her attackers and left the Winchester family to be with him. That union produced 4 daughters. These daughters were not only part of the ‘dulcris cruor’ family, they also had some of the innate traits of the heku father, who was head of his coven. You can see how this made them especially powerful.”
“These women were powerful enough to kill a heku with a single glance, yet the heku followed them, stalking them in the shadows, and eventually they would risk their own lives for just one taste of the Winchester blood. The Winchester women were sought after by the most powerful covens in the world, offered riches and wealth. If a coven should have one of the Winchester family in their midst, said coven would be unstoppable, one that would become a type of royalty in our world.”
“In the late 1800’s, the females from the Winchester line made a pact to no longer further their line, to stop the torment of the immortal. The ‘dulcris cruor’ caused extreme attraction to the family by both immortals and to animals. The attacks became so brutal that their pact was made to stop the harassment. One sister, and only one, made a mistake and broke the pact after falling in love with a man leaving for the new world.
“She has only one direct line, a line that ends with a sole female heir…”
“Do the Elders know any of this?” he asked, his mind spinning.
“I don’t know, and there’s no way to be sure if it’s even relevant. It’s all I could find when I was searching through our Montana coven listing.” She hesitated, and then walked away.
***
Storm’s words rang through his head as he sat in his 1st class seat, headed back for Great Falls. The folder she handed him was on his lap and his fingers tapped it lightly. He couldn’t hold off any longer, opening the file, he was suddenly faced with the photo of a remarkably beautiful woman. She was standing alongside an Arabian stallion. The photo was in black and white, indicative of the year that was imprinted on the back side, 1959.
There was but a single notation, written in longhand on a piece of parchment inside of the folder.
Last Known Member of the Winchester Line
Name: Elizabeth Amy Barnett (maiden) (deceased)
Location: America (no further, though strong ties in Montana and North Dakota)
Married: Confirmed
Husband’s Name: Unknown
Children: 1 son (deceased), 1 daughter (name unknown)
Source: Father Emarcus Belaery (Head of Drakni Coven), deceased
Note: No indication she knows of her abilities, further study required.
***
Chevalier sat on his bed in the hotel in tiny Cascade, Montana, and thought about the powers he was granted. The rules they, as heku, were to follow, were to protect their secret from the mortals but also to protect the mortals themselves. He wondered how much of what Storm told him, the Elders already knew. As far as he knew, no one had ever been granted the ability to break the rules of conduct that their kind held in such high regard.
He thumbed once more through the small file on Elizabeth Ann and sat up suddenly, his eyes caught something he hadn’t seen before. Standing behind the woman and her horse was a man who looked alarmingly like Sam, a Sam of the same age as he currently is. This man could be Sam’s father, but the image wasn’t similar, it was exact. Hiding the file deep inside the locked safe, he headed out to his car. He had photographic memory, and this was Sam down to the last wrinkle and the small mole he had on the right of his neck.
He was also confused by his growing feelings for Emily. Never in his thousands of years had he felt like this for a mortal, it was abnormal for his kind.
Chevalier was out in his car in less than a second and pulled it onto the country road that led directly to Emily’s ranch.
He grabbed his phone and dialed. Storm answered on the first ring, “In your research, did you come across any type of protector for the Winchester family? Maybe even a long-standing ally?”
He could hear as she ruffled through papers before answering, “No, nothing like that, Sir.”
Chevalier sighed.
“There is one other thing I found, something you need to be very careful of. The ‘dulcris cruor’, as I’ve said, is appealing to all immortals but apparently its call to the heku is so strong, that the feeder is unable to stop once they begin. Unable as in... until the blood is gone. Each taste gets more and more appealing until finally the will to stop is no longer present.” Storm rattled the information off quickly.
Chevalier clicked his phone shut and sped up. He could see the ranch ahead of him. The Dodge pickup was parked in front of it. He drove past it and parked in an abandoned farmhouse not more than a mile away. He could traverse the distance quickly without anyone noticing.
It was dusk when he reached the farmhouse. Lights were on in the house, but also in the barn, and he heard voices.
“Is it broken?” Emily asked, and her voice sounded strained.
“I don’t tink so, jis hold still,” Sam replied. He sounded like he was concentrating, “Remine me ta teach you how t’punch.”
“It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” She sounded slightly amused, but then she groaned, “Stop that, that hurts!”
Chevalier appeared in the loft and watched them from above. Emily was sitting on a bale of hay, her hand outstretched to Sam. He was winding it tightly with an ace bandage.
“Ya should go to da hospital, Ms. Em,” he said to her matter-of-factly.
“That’s all I need, Sam, I just assaulted him. You want me to land in jail?” she asked, and smiled weakly.
Sam motioned toward the house, “He’s not lef yet.”
“He’s not going to leave either, he told me that… I just don’t want to go back in there now that he’s been drinking.” Emily winced as Sam continued to bandage her hand.
“You stay in Sam’s bunkhouse den.”
“It’s ok, Sam, I’ll stay here in the barn, there’s a make-shift bed in the loft.”
There was a long silence while Sam thought it out and finally agreed. He took a hard look at the house, glanced back at Emily, and then walked to the bunkhouse.
Emily stood up from the hay and looked at the long ladder leading up to the loft. She sighed and started up it, one handed. At the top rung, she inhaled sharply and brought her hand to her face, a deep splinter had embedded into her palm and a trickle of blood spilled onto the ladder.
Chevalier meant to wait for her quietly in the loft, but the smell of blood assaulted his senses, all he wanted was to taste just a little of it. He had a vision of grabbing her and holding her pinned as he tasted the hot blood from her neck. He began to salivate and his head throbbed with hunger, he could feel his muscles contract, ready to attack.
He stopped suddenly, the moment only lasted a fraction of a second, but he recoiled slightly at how far it had gone. He turned suddenly to see if Emily had seen him and knew immediately.
She stared up at him, still standing on the ladder, “I thought I told you to go away.”
Chevalier breathed deeply of her heady musk and shut his eyes to force his instincts back under his control. He opened them slowly and looked down at her as a drop of blood slid precariously down her wrist.
“That you did.” He moved to her quickly and took her hands, pulling her off of the ladder and up to face him.
Too fast for Emily to fight back, he had her pinned to his body and his sharp canines dug easily into the flesh on her neck. She gasped and pushed at him, trying to make him stop. The euphoria began to sweep over her and her eyes shut as she quit fighting.
He pulled away from her, relishing in the taste of her blood as it quenched t
he thirst and wet the back of his burning throat. He met her gaze and was shocked that the euphoric feeling had lasted only a few seconds. She was now staring up at him with her piercing green eyes, and her anger shone brightly in them.
Emily reached out and slapped him, then began to head down the ladder.
“Just like the others…” she grumbled as she ran to the house.
Chevalier barely made it to the door of the bunkhouse when it opened and Sam looked at him.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Sam said plainly, and then the pain hit.
Chevalier’s body was wracked with fire, every fiber of his being felt as if it had suddenly exploded in flames. He was knocked to his knees and his mind screamed with more pain than he’d ever felt. He was only partially aware as Sam pulled him inside the bunkhouse and shut the door. What seemed like an eternity later, the pain started to subside and Chevalier could see Sam standing beside him with a broom.
“What… happened…?” he was able to ask with much effort.
“Hrm,” Sam grunted, his eyebrows rose. “She must have gotten distracted, no ashes to clean up this time.” He put the broom away.
Chevalier’s head swam and he drifted into unconsciousness. He found his body unable to move, the weight of it was improbable. Through the darkness, he could clearly hear everything going on at the small ranch.
The cock of a shotgun.
The barn door opening.
Heavy footsteps returning to the house, “I don’t see anyone in there, Emi. Was it another one of them?” Keith asked with disgust.
“Yes, I’ve seen him a few times, but this is the first he’s attacked. He seemed different though, at least at first. He wasn’t begging me to join some stupid coven or jumping from the shadows to bite me.”
“How do you attract these weirdoes?” he asked her.
Emily’s voice sounded worried, “Maybe Sam got him?”
“That old man? What’s he going to do, hit the guy with a bridle?” Keith was obviously having fun.
“It’s not funny, Keith. Go check on Sam.”
Keith sighed and walked out the door of the house just as Sam opened the bunkhouse door and stepped out.
“Evening, Sam,” Keith said cordially.
“Hello, Mr. Keith.”
“Seen anyone around tonight? Any ashes?”
“No, Sir, no ashes. Mayhap he run?”
“Hasn’t stopped her from killing them before. If you do find ashes, just keep up the story that I killed them.”
“Yes, Sir, I un’rstand.”
Sam returned to the bunkhouse as Keith went back into the house.
Sam looked down at Chevalier as he opened his eyes slowly, “You broke the code.”
Chevalier stood and shook his head clear of the pain, “Who the hell do you think I am?”
Sam blinked, “What do you mean?”
He was able to pull himself up to his tallest, “I am Chief Enforcer of the Equites, and as such, we take this as an assault on the Council. I am no longer bound by the laws of our people. I suggest you tell your mistress that so much as a burning in my little finger… and I’ll kill her.”
Sam glared, “Touch her over my dead body.”
Chevalier looked at him, “I have business with her. If she wants to continue to breathe, I suggest she find time to meet with me.”
Sam blinked, and Chevalier was gone.
Chapter 3 - Ulrich
Chevalier’s phone rang softly as he lie in bed, thinking about what had transpired. He hesitated, then answered, “Yes, Storm?”
She sounded nervous, very uncharacteristic for her, “Sir, are you in trouble?”
“No, why?” He sounded tired and still strained from the pain earlier.
“I had a phone call from one of the ‘old ones’.” She paused to see if he responded but then continued, “It’s Lord Ulrich von Weiskgaard, from the Valle. He wants to meet with you immediately.”
Chevalier frowned slightly. He was one of the ‘old ones,’ so why did she seem so nervous? “About?”
“He won’t say, Sir, but he did mention that the meeting need not include any of the rest of the Council.”
He thought that sounded odd, but agreed, “Very well, where shall we meet?”
“Lord Ulrich is in Great Falls.”
He shook his head, wondering what could be up now, “Ok, tell him to meet me in the conference room at my hotel in 1 hour.”
“Yes, Sir…” She hesitated, and then hung up.
Chevalier tried to clear his head, but his thoughts kept turning back to Emily. She had unknowingly tried to kill him tonight, yet he still felt the urge to protect her. He noticed, frustratingly, that even as his thoughts were trying to focus on the upcoming meeting, they still held her image closely as if trying to bring her to him. The very thought of her brought his instincts forward and he longed for another taste of her blood.
The concierge booked the room for him easily. It was always amazing what a simple $100 bill would do to a mortal. He sat at the head of the table and watched the clock, anxious to get this meeting over with so he could get back on track at the ranch.
The doors opened and in walked Lord Ulrich. He was obviously one of the ‘old ones,’ and as he looked at Chevalier, his eyes were scrutinizing. He wore the black suit and conspicuous black cape that had long been abandoned in the new world. Behind him were six well-dressed heku, obviously the top ranks of his coven.
He stood at the table and one of them removed his cloak and pushed a chair up for him. As he sat down, they formed a semi-circle of protection around him. Last to walk in was Sam. He was still dressed in denim overalls and looked quite out of place with the others in the room. He shut the door behind him and sat down at Ulrich’s right.
Chevalier eyed Sam suspiciously.
“I am Lord Ulrich von Weiskgaard, head of the Debalih Coven. I know who you are… so now I ask a simple question… what are you doing with Emily Russo?”
Chevalier narrowed his eyes, “Seven of you, how remarkable. So tell me, how long have you known of the existence of this killer here in the middle of North America?”
Ulrich’s eyes widened, “How dare you address me so!”
Chevalier grinned mirthlessly, “I dare much. I was burned at the stake with the Templar. I enjoyed a Bloodbath in Jerusalem. I have been around much longer than any of your whelps in attendance here. I daresay that the insolence, if there is such, lies on the part of old world covens that’ve apparently hidden a violation of the Pact into some place where they believed that they could hide it indefinitely.”
Ulrich glared at him.
Chevalier sat at the conference table and propped his feet up, “Nonetheless, we must take this opportunity to deal with the issue.”
One of the young heku slapped Chevalier boots off the table, “You will not address Lord Ulrich in that manner!”
Chevalier stood up, his hands in fists, “I will address him in any way I see fit.”
Ulrich smiled with a gleam in his eyes. Chevalier tried to remember where he had seen those eyes.
Ulrich motioned to his coven, and they left without a word, except Sam, who stayed in his chair, “Enough with the frivolities. I come seeking answers, so I’ll ask you again, what do you want with Emily Russo?”
“What I’m doing is of no concern to you, its Equites business,” Chevalier said bluntly.
“It has everything to do with me, I assure you.”
“What you did makes you no better than Keith!” Sam yelled, standing up.
“I am nothing like Keith!” Chevalier yelled, pounding his fist on the table and splintering it. “Drinking Emily’s blood without permission was necessary. Keith finds it fun to beat on someone who relies on him.”
“Sam… let us be,” Ulrich said calmly. Sam turned into a small cat, jumped off the chair, and ran out the door, “My familiar can be very protective of her.”
“Apparently”
“I know that you are part of
the Council, and I also know the Elders have been after Elizabeth Winchester’s family for years. I’ve been able to keep them safe, it seems, until now. What do you want? What can I give that will get you to turn around and leave Emily alone?”
Chevalier noted the sorrowed expression on Ulrich’s face and thought carefully before speaking, “I don’t want anything from you. I’m not here to destroy her.”
“Then what do you want?” His eyes narrowed as he grew angry.
“I still don’t think it’s any of your concern.”
“It is my concern when my family is involved,” Ulrich said, clenching his jaw.
The eyes, they were familiar, they were Emily’s eyes. The truth hit Chevalier. Ulrich was the heku with which Elizabeth Winchester had fallen love.
Ulrich sat back in the chair. He seemed exhausted, “I’ve watched over my family for hundreds of years, and during that time, the heku blood was almost bred out of the line. I was so close to having my descendants fully mortal, no longer sought by the Councils as murderers.”
Chevalier waited, trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.
“Emily’s mother had almost no power at all, and then he found her. Elizabeth Ann married Allen Flynn and had a son. Elizabeth’s father was Irish, and she had his temper, but had yet to display anything beyond that. None of the powers are held by the males in the family, so I couldn’t tell if the hundreds of years of torment had come to an end. For one brief period of time, I sent Sam on an errand, away from the Flynn family and another heku found her.” He paused and pain crept into his voice, “He had the power to clear the mind, Elizabeth Ann didn’t even know what was happening.”
Everything was becoming clear, “Then Emily was born.”
Ulrich nodded, “I wasn’t sure if the baby was Allen’s or not, I also wasn’t sure if another heku could bring back the powers that I bestowed, unknowingly, upon the family. The heku kept visiting Elizabeth Ann, and one night, he lost control, her blood had become like a drug to him.”
Heku : Book 1 of the Heku Series Page 3