by Rue Volley
“With you? Never… never easy.” Sam said as she grinned and spun her blades in her hand.
“Maybe we can reason with them.” I said.
Sam laughed and so did Theo.
“For a keeper of time you are just completely clueless sometimes.” Sam said. “But… I am not mad; in fact I am just ready for some blood.” She said as she lowered her head and reminded me of Joshua and with that I knew what must be done and I could only hope that we would all make it through.
The first wave of them came flashing at us and as a girl, who looked to be no more than sixteen jumped into the air above me, I pivoted on my foot and spun around, bringing my blade upward and it sliced through her mid-section as she screamed and spun in the air and hit the ground. Without hesitation I was on top of her and slammed my other blade into her chest causing a terrible crunching sound as I tore through flesh and bone and broke her ribs then I quickly jerked it out of her. She held up her hands and I pressed my hand against her chest in a flash and light pulsated from me and she arched her back and then lay still.
I looked up just in time to see Sam in all of her glory and exactly as she should be. It was a strange thing, even to me, that vampires moved so quickly and yet when we battled everything went into slow motion for us. I know to the human eye it looked as if it was a blur of craziness, but to us, everything is suspended slowly as we calculated moves and heard the heart beating in our chests and ears and tasted the blood in our mouths. It was a primal instinct, something terrifying and completely intoxication.
Sam turned on her foot and extended both of her arms out to her sides as two rogues slid onto them up to the hilts and she jumped straight upward, pulling the blades out, blood trailing behind them and floating in the air like heavy droplets of rain. The two rogues screamed out and stumbled backward and as she came down, she sliced one blade through the air and cut off a head and then the other.
Light burst from her and rolled over them both as their bodies became suspended in the air and then dropped. She lowered to the ground just as blood rained down on her and she lifted her face towards the sky and allowed it to speckle her face, wiping at it quickly and tasting it. She growled and rose as another rogue decided to engage her and she sliced one blade upward followed by the other and the rogue swayed as she slammed one blade in his chest deeply, and let her other blade stab into the ground. Then she placed her free hand on his chest, pulling her blade out swirling in color and the light threw him a good fifteen feet back from her.
I looked up and saw a figure coming at me and I quickly rose to meet this invader head on and then I stopped as I looked into the face of a child, no more than ten years old, breathing hard and showing her teeth. I tilted my head and she quickly went to all fours and crawled up me like a spider, I spun to grab at her but she had her fingernails dug deep into the flesh on my shoulders and I cried out as she took a vicious bite out of my neck. Then I felt her jerked off of me and I turned just in time to see Kai bury his blades deep into her chest as she lay on the ground. She kicked her feet and twisted the blades and dropped down and let the light from his hand consume her. I placed my hand on my neck and felt it wet with blood and he stood up and stared at me.
“She was a child Kai.”
“And… she would have killed you, fucking get on point.” He said as he turned and stabbed another boy rushing him. I pulled my hand from my neck and knew; I knew the fact that I felt compassion would not help me; it would not allow me to do what needed to be done this day. I gritted my teeth and as the tears started to flow I killed three more… teenagers no less and with that I shed what little feeling or thought of what these creatures once were… human or not, they stood between me and my family and for that death was the only option now.
Elijah, Gracie and Johnathan followed Luci as she walked quickly across the fields, then she stopped and grinned, glancing back at them as she spotted the large and ghostly white tree in the distance.
“Oh look at that.” Elijah said as he took a step forward and Gracie touched his arm and stopped him.
“You stay here with Johnathan.” She said.
“Ummmm, no way.” Elijah said and Gracie turned to him and narrowed her eyes.
“Listen to me, that is the tree of creation, you cannot enter into it.”
“Why not?”
“Because you have human blood in you. You will die.” She said.
“What? I will not.”
Gracie looked at Johnathan and raised his eyebrows.
“Elijah, it is true, you need to stay behind.” He said.
“Oh and what? Just hang out here and hope you two don’t get eaten my Satan?”
Johnathan laughed.
“Luci will not eat us, at least not yet. She needs us to leave this place.”
“Oh hell no! She can’t leave here.” Elijah said.
“Well, she has the key to what we need to do and we have no choice.”
Elijah rolled his eyes. “Well shit!”
“I totally agree with you.” Johnathan said as he started to follow Gracie.
Luci stood before the tree and smiled as she looked up its majestic branches and she glanced back as Johnathan and Gracie stopped and stared at it too. Even to an immortal, the tree was quite intimidating and now that they stood in front of it, they realized just how big it actually was. Luci looked at the plump fruit on it and smiled.
“Oh… look at that, is Elijah still hungry?” she said as she smiled.
“You know as well as I do that fruit would kill him.”
Luci laughed. “I was trying to be mindful of his condition, I am sure he is starving to death.”
Johnathan looked at the back of her head and shook his own.
“Stop pretending like you have a heart, when we all know you don’t.”
“Oh?” Luci said as she turned to look at the two of them. Her face looked soft and inviting and Gracie tilted her head.
“Tricky bitch, isn’t she?” Johnathan muttered and Luci giggled and then her expression changed back to her more sinister and natural expression.
“Well, looks as if we climb.” She said.
Gracie looked up the tree and shook her head.
“The first branches are at least…”
Luci flashed to her and cut her hand with her sharpened nail and Gracie yelled out as she jerked her hand away from her. Johnathan took a step towards Luci and she stepped back as the blood started to flow over the side of Gracie’s hand and she held it.
“You bitch!” Gracie said as she hissed and stared at her hand, starting to pool with blood.
“Feed it.” Luci said as she turned back to the tree.
“What?” Gracie asked her. Luci turned and raised her eyebrows.
“Place your filthy hand on the tree and give it blood you stupid half breed.”
“Oh fuck you.” Gracie said and Johnathan laughed.
Luci flashed to her face and leaned in.
“Feed the tree now or we will not be able to leave.” She whispered.
Gracie stepped back and scowled at her.
“Fine… fine.” She muttered as she walked up to the tree slowly and placed her hand upon it.
She waited and nothing happened but then she felt a slight vibration and pulled her hand away to reveal a handprint left behind, in blood. Slowly the tree creaked and moaned and the blood started to seep into the white and then it was gone. They all three watched the tree and then suddenly a rumble occurred and they felt the earth move under them all, they swayed and watched in wonder as a beautiful staircase started to form at the base of the tree as the tree twisted itself and constructed it out of its own branches. Finally the movement ended and they all looked up to see that the stairs wound around the tree itself. Luci smiled and looked back at Gracie.
“Well at least you are good for something.” She said and Gracie bit her lip and they all started to slowly climb, towards what, they were not certain, but it had to be a gateway… or so they hoped it to be.
Chapter 15
A Four Letter Word
Michael stood still looking out across the fields of Valon and smiled as he cut into his hand slowly and allowed the blood to well up into his palm. He cupped it and drank it, letting a thin trail of the deep red roll down his chin and onto his neck. He then took a deep breath and placed his blades onto the ground and looked towards the sky.
“This is a burial ground, and I will free you all so that the glory can be returned to our city.” He said as he held his hands out and grinned.
Michael looked down at his feet and stared at Josh, who he had dragged out to the field to witness his power.
“I think you will enjoy a reunion of blood.” He said.
“I only have one true blood and it is not here and it is not you.” Josh said as he gritted his teeth and struggled with the binds on his wrists.
“Seriously Gabrielle, you should be rejoicing, before days end Valon shall be returned to its glory and so shall you, although you will not survive I assure you.”
“It is Joshua, you dick.” Josh said as he looked up at him.
“You need to set the ridiculous name aside, do you not remember why you called yourself Joshua to begin with?” Michael asked him.
Josh laughed and stared at him.
“I was named, by my parents you ass.”
Michael laughed and looked out across the field.
“Oh she is just wonderful, and you certainly found your match in her.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Michael leaned down and looked into his eyes.
“You truly have no memory, do you?” he asked him.
“I know what my life is and who I am.”
Michael smiled and studied his eyes.
“I think it is time I give you back some of what you truly are Gabrielle.” He said as he slammed his hand to Josh’s mouth and Josh moaned and fell backward as Michael pressed harder and pressed his hand full of light to Josh’s head and Josh’s eyes rolled back and he arched his back as memory started to cut through his mind like a knife. He screamed out and Michael smiled as he held him still and Josh twitched as memories invaded his mind...
***
Joshua stood at the gates of Valon with his wings spread out beside him majestically. The sun glinted through them and the white traces of light raced along quickly, criss crossing in patterns almost too quick to see even by an immortal. His white battle gear was speckled with red droplets of blood and Michael stepped up beside him as they both looked out across the field and watched as angels stabbed human after human and the screaming and moaning filled the air around them. Michael placed his hand on Josh’s shoulder and grinned.
“Lord Gabrielle, what will we do now?” he asked him.
Josh looked back as Luci walked towards them slowly, her wings as majestic as his own and he grinned at her and she walked up to him and looked up, he place his hand on her face and studied her eyes as they swirled in color.
“We kill them all.” Josh whispered and Luci smiled as Michael lifted from the ground and joined in the slaughter.
“My lord… once they are all dead, what will become of us here?” she asked him.
“We shall rule this plain for eternity, I would think that is what you desire.”
Luci smiled and looked out across the field as the slaughter continued.
“With nothing to do?” she added.
“We shall be rid of these monkeys once and for all and the glory will be restored to us.”
“Oh.” Luci said as she turned to him and walked up and touched his face and he closed his eyes.
“Well, that could become tiresome… you think not?” she asked him.
“My intention was to rid this beautiful world of the parasites living on it.”
“Well...”
“What my love?” Josh said.
Luci looked at him and smiled.
“I want to show you something.” She said as she took his hand and pulled him out to the field and they both stopped and she looked down at the woman trying to crawl away slowly. Luci stabbed her blade into the woman’s back and she screamed out as she tried to move forward.
Josh watched Luci as she leaned down and slowly pulled the blade, making the woman scream more and she stared at the blood on the blade.
“Have you tasted it?” she asked Josh.
Josh stared at her as she wiped her hand along the blade and quickly placed it to her mouth and licked it. She shuddered and her wings twitched and Josh could hear her heart beat quicken in her chest.
“I would not eat that disgusting thing.” He said.
“Oh, but my Lord… it is like a drug, you should at least try it… just once.” She said to him.
Josh hesitated and Luci stood up, with blood all over her mouth and then she kissed him and his wings started to pulsate in different colors, other than white and they twitched behind him and she slid her tongue into his mouth and the sweetness of the blood started to set his senses on fire. He stumbled back from her and touched his lips and then looked into her eyes as she smiled at him. He grinned and wiped a small amount from his lip and placed his finger inside his mouth and closed his eyes as he felt the vibration go through him. He opened his eyes and stared at her and looked across the field and grinned.
“Collect some and bring them to the tower.” He said and he walked away from her and she grinned.
Josh screamed as his back continued to arch and then Michael released him and stood up, grinning as Josh tried to catch his breath and rolled on his side.
“Did you see my Lord? Did you taste it, so sweet on your lips?” he said.
Josh spit out as he screamed and rolled onto his back and Michael raised his hands into the air as Josh tried to control his sobbing and disbelief.
***
Luci climbed upward and as she did a memory whipped through her mind, one that matched that of the one Josh had just experienced thanks to Michael. She sighed and touched her chest as she held onto the railing and Gracie and Johnathan stopped and stared at her. She bit into her lip and tasted blood and grinned and then quickly licked it and continued upward. She finally reached the top and stared out across the walkway, consisting of woven white wood. Gracie stepped up and looked at her.
“Well… go.” She said and Luci looked at her and smiled.
“Oh this is where you take the lead.” She said.
Johnathan looked at her and shook his head.
“You go first.”
Luci shook her head. “The door will only open to the blood, not my own.” She said and Gracie looked at her hand and sighed.
“Fine.” She said as she slowly walked towards the large door and stared at it. All colors raced through it and she could feel it breathing, as if the tree itself was alive. She stopped and glanced back at Johnathan who stood very still and studied her.
“Okay.” Gracie said as she held her hand out and the colors started to swirl faster in front of her.
She hissed as she spread her palm and the cut reopened and the blood pooled. She lifted it and before she could place it to the door the color reached out and wrapped her hand absorbing it and the door started to vibrate and then it opened slowly and Gracie stood there and stared at the darkness within.
“Well?” Luci called out and Gracie looked back at her.
“I don’t hear or see anything.”
Luci raised her eyebrows and waved her hand.
“Go… go in.” she said.
Gracie took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway and it quickly closed behind her as Johnathan rushed at the door and Luci looked at her nails and wiped some of the blood off.
“Gracie! Gracie!” Johnathan yelled as he stepped up to the door and Luci watched him.
“Perhaps it will eat her… we will see.”Luci said.
Johnathan flashed to her quickly and placed his hand to her throat, leaning her back on the railing; Luci glanced down and smiled as she returned her gaz
e to him.
“Anything happens to her and I will fucking rip your black heart out of your chest and make you watch me eat it.” He said as he gritted his teeth.
“Seriously? With all the drama… get off me.” Luci said and Johnathan hesitated then took his hand from her throat and Luci stood up straight and smiled at him.
“You are fun… you know that? I mean you really have a charm about you with women.”
“You are not a woman.”
“Oh really?” Luci said as she touched her breast and Johnathan looked back towards the door.
“What now?”
“We wait you ass.” Luci said as she sat down and inspected her nails some more. Johnathan sighed and ran towards the door as his often so impatient ass would and before he could reach it the light turned into spikes and ran him straight through, lifting him from the ground and then quickly retracting and he fell and moaned onto his side.
“Son of a bitch!” he yelled as he looked upward and Luci grinned.
“The tree does not like you very much, can’t say that I blame it with all that demon blood running through you.”
“Oh god... shut up.” Johnathan muttered as he rolled onto his back and inspected his body. No blood, but the pain was real just the same.
“I don’t get why I felt that.”
“Well, it is the tree of life and death you idiot, you can still feel it if it wishes.”
“Suck.” Johnathan said as he pushed himself up and stared at the door.
Gracie stepped through the darkness and felt nothing; she could also hear nothing behind her as Johnathan called out her name. She stopped suddenly as she thought she heard a whisper in the distance and then another.
“Hello? Is anyone here?” she called out and it echoed back to her. She moved forward and then she looked to her left as she caught a small trace of light and then another and it started to race across the white wood quickly causing small string sounds too well up. She reached out and placed her hand against the wood and felt warmth and then as she pulled her hand away she could still see her handprint and the colors rushed to it and the sound of a cello welled up and made her heart flutter. The music was intoxicating and she touched her chest as it made her feel her emotion rise.