Blood Rite Saga, Season One Box Set

by Dylan Keefer

  Larent licked his lips and stared at the arm some more. “You’re a vampire.” She nodded. “You’re Dominion, and you are helping me?”

  “I am Dominion, and I’m not one for following rules. Everyone’s been talking about the human that has figured out how to reverse vampire compulsion. You’re kind of a big deal.”

  “I just learned about vampires today--I don’t even know what day it is anymore.” Larent looked at Nya with desperation. “You can get me out of here, can’t you? There has to be some way.”

  She licked the remaining blood off her arm and shook her head. “There isn’t, Larent. You have something that the Dominion want. Two things actually,” she said bringing her arm down. It had completely healed. Nya cocked her head to the side as she stood in front of him. “Is it true you know her? You know Mei?”

  Laurent closed his mouth tightly. She looked into his eyes. Her eyes turned black like Gregory’s had when he had tried compulsion. It still wasn’t working. Nya sighed.

  “Okay, Larent. We will play your game. You’ll learn to trust me. I may be the only friend you’ll have here.” She turned on her heel and began to walk away. “Please, try to stay alive okay. I’d hate to see that pretty face hurt the next time I see you.”

  Larent hung there when the door closed as the silence and dread came back.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The older woman’s eyes held the kindest smile. Mei stepped forward wondering if Madi’s mother could possibly just be mistaken. The woman had called her ‘princess’. Madi reached for Mei’s hand and pulled her closer.

  “Mom, what do you mean that you know who she is?”

  “Just what I said, Madison,” Olivia looked at Mei and winked. “We will talk after we eat. Have you eaten yet?”

  “We had donuts,” Mei said with a squeak.

  “Well, that’s not going to do anyone any good. Donuts must have been my daughter’s suggestion.” Madi pursed her lips shut not being able to protest since it was true, and Clayton had nodded when her mother made the observation. Olivia maneuvered her wheelchair in an arc until she was able to face the door.

  Laura proudly displayed a wonderful lunch on the table in front of them. Mei felt appreciative, and though they had already had breakfast at the priest’s house along with the delicious snack. She was now painfully aware that the blood that she had from the family that other night was no longer satisfying her need for it. Clayton leaned over to her when she gave him a glance.

  “What’s wrong? You look a little pale.”

  “I need blood,” Mei whispered.

  “Is there something else that I can get for you?” Laura asked with a worried look. Mei shook her head and was about to say something, but she was interrupted by Olivia.

  “I’m sorry that we don’t have anything for you,” she said. “If we had been expecting you, I would have prepared.”

  “I feel like that statement was meant for me,” Madi sighed.

  “It was,” Oliva said bluntly. “Why aren’t you traveling with some provisions for her?”

  Madi closed her eyes and shook her head. Olivia knows about me, but not about her own daughter? Mei was confused, and she didn’t want to take away from that. Her hunger could wait. She grabbed a spoon and started to eat the soup in front of her.

  “I think she’s fine, mother,” Lucas said.

  “She’s just being polite,” Oliva said. “She really needs something else to eat. Vampires need blood.”

  Lucas and Laura stopped moving immediately. Madi rolled her eyes, and Clayton simply raised an eyebrow. Oliva slurped her soup and shrugged.

  “I’ve never told my son and his innocent-as-a-sunflower wife about the reality of the supernatural. They already think I’m a little bit strange, and they want to blame it on my injury.”

  “Mom, I think that’s enough,” Lucas said. “Madi, she’s been good until you came home. Not surprised that you would bring it out in her.”

  Madi smiled sweetly. “Sorry, bro. I guess I just bring bad luck.” Lucas was in the middle of dipping his spoon in the soup again when the bowl flew into his lap causing the hot liquid to pour all over him. Lucas howled and jumped up. Clayton kept his mouth shut, but Mei could see that he was struggling to keep the laughter inside. Laura slid back from the table and rushed to her husband.

  “Lucas, are you okay? Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

  “It’s so hot,” He shuddered as she helped him away from the table. When they were gone, Mei turned to Olivia.

  “You know I’m a vampire? Is that what you mean by you know who I am?”

  “No, child. You’re not just a vampire. You are much more special than that. You are someone that I hoped that I would meet someday. My mother and her mother and her mother before used to tell the story of the hidden vampire princess who was half-human and half-vampire, who was chased from her home and made her way to the American shore and was instrumental in the war against the Native Americans. She was chased away when the settlers thought she was a witch, but during the Salem Witch trials, many thought they saw her rescuing ‘witches’ from being burned at the stake.

  “And you think that is me?”

  “I know that it is you.” Olivia pushed away her food which she had finished during her short recap. She took her knife and made a quick cut along her arm. She cried out, and Madi jumped up from the table.

  “What are you doing!”

  Clayton jumped up, too, and grabbed some napkins. He rushed over the old lady’s side and started to treat her arm. Olivia just smiled at Mei whose fangs were out. Her hungry evident in her eyes.

  “Let her drink,” Olivia said. Clayton stopped, but Madi shook her head.

  “No, mom.” Olivia pulled her arm away from them.

  “I wasn’t asking. Mei, come here.” Mei wasn’t able to stop the hunger inside. In less than a second, she was on her knees by woman’s arm drinking. Madi shook her head. After a moment, Clayton pulled Mei off. The vampire backed away.

  Mei, in turn, gave the woman a taste of her blood which healed the arm almost immediately. They all took their seats as Madi took the bloody napkins. Olivia sat back and put her hand to her head as if trying to remember.

  “‘Determined her gaze through Far East eye. One part truth, and one part lie. Heir to what no human can claim. Princess of the Darkness with Light as her fame. She is the barrier between us and them. Mixture of grace and deplorable sin.’ I believe that is how the poem goes.”

  “There is poetry written about her?” Clayton whistled. “Mei, I think we’ve come to the right place.”

  “Mom, we’re here because Mei doesn’t have any memory about who she is, but what memory she does have includes a song that I’ve only heard from you, and you said that it has only been passed down from generations in our family.”

  ”Sweet Princess. You are mine. You are mine. For all of time. As deep as the ocean and wide as the sea is my love for you,” Olivia sang it, and it brought some emotion to Mei’s heart.

  “That’s it!”

  “What’s it,” Lucas asked returning with Laura. He had on a change of pants and walked like what Clayton would say in the future ‘like a castrated bull’. “And were you singing just now, mom? I don’t think I’ve heard you sing since the accident.”

  “How about you four continue eating, and Mei and I will go for a walk. I want to talk to her.”

  “You’re just going to go off with this stranger you’ve never met,” Lucas frowned. “No offense to you, Mei. I just found out that my mother believes in vampires.”

  Oliva pushed back from the table and nodded to Mei. “Come on, sweetie. Lucas blows off a lot of hot air, but he is my son, and he takes care of me.”

  Lucas started to protest, but Laura put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure that Mei is trustworthy. Madi wouldn’t have brought her and Clayton here if they weren’t.”

  The street was quiet and peaceful as Mei walked beside Olivia. She pointed back to the house. “Is ever
ything going to be okay with them? Madi and Lucas don’t seem to get along.”

  “They will be fine. Lucas blames Madi for leaving him alone to take care of me. Madi had always been an outsider and different, and her brother, though not popular by any standards didn’t understand why this girl had to come live with us when I remarried. He didn’t understand that her father had become a drunk, very abusive, and didn’t want to look at her because she reminded him of me,” Olivia said. “To be honest, Mei, it took me a while to figure it out myself.”

  They stopped where the little road turned, but Olivia turned the other way. “I need you to take me onto the beach.” Mei looked apprehensive. “Come on. You are a vampire. I know about your strength.”

  Mei gently leaned down and reached her hands underneath the woman and lifted her into her arms. Olivia didn’t seem to feel awkward about it, which sort of put Mei at ease as well.

  “Where are we going?” Mei asked.

  “I think that you know,” Olivia said. Mei waded through the grass cradling the woman. As they kept walking, the dirt beneath started to change to sand, and the water became closer. Mei knew where she was. This was the place in her visions. There was no boat though, and things had changed considerably. Still, there was no doubt that this was the place. She walked a little farther onto the sand and set Olivia down on the sand.

  “I’ve been having these visions, and this place has been in them. This exact place,” Mei turned in a circle and looked around them. “Please, Olivia. You’ve got to tell me what you know.”

  “Did Madi tell you what I do for a living?” Mei shook her head. The woman laughed. “I’m a therapist. It’s an easy job in my condition.”

  “Therapist?” Mei asked. “You are a doctor?”

  “Of sorts. I help people deal with difficult emotional things. Sometimes, I even help people remember things that they have deeply suppressed in their mind.” Olivia motioned for her to sit. “I can help you with that if you would like.”

  Mei sat down on the soft sand not caring that the gritty substance was getting all over her. “Please. Yes. I’m ready to know everything.”

  “Then I will ask you to close your eyes. I will count down from ten, and when you hear me say the number one, you will fall back onto the sand.”

  Mei nodded. The woman began to count, but the sound of the water, the birds flying overhead, and the wind vied for her attention. Then, Mei heard the number one, and she fell backward into the darkness.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Mei! Wake up!”

  The girl jumped up from her sleep. Serge ran around packing something in a bag. His eyes were frantic, and his jaw tensed and taught.

  “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

  “They’re coming. A lot of them. We need to run.” He said this with such a calm voice, but there was a slight tremble that gave away how dangerous this situation was. Mei jumped up.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Farther north. I was a fool thinking that we could stay here until—until they came. I can’t afford to wait any longer.”

  “Until who came? Serge, you aren’t making any sense.” He didn’t listen to her. His mind was on packing enough and getting out. “Serge! I’m not a child anymore! Talk to me!”

  “You are a child!” Serge growled whipping around to face her. “Yes, you are different, and the people you knew a hundred years ago are dead. Their children are old. Their grandchildren are going to want to play with you and be your friend because they think you are one of them, but you aren’t. You’re…”

  “A vampire. I know.”

  “You aren’t just a vampire, Mei. They wouldn’t be coming for you if you were.”

  Mei shook her head. She didn’t understand. Serge grabbed a bag and tossed one to her. “Let’s go.”

  The town they had been staying in was quiet in the early morning. She was going to miss this place. Somehow, though she knew they would have to move on, Mei had grown to love this place. Mr. Smith, who owned the general store, always offered her candy and told her stories that he liked to make up. She loved walking around the outskirts in the woods, making friends with the animals. The people were nice to the father and daughter who lost their wife and mother to a terrible illness. It had taken the better part of a week for her and Serge to compel the town to ignore such things like why Mei never went to school or never grew older. Once they did, Mei felt like they would be safe. Now, they were on the run again.

  Serge’s arm shot out and blocked her chest. He held a finger to his lips. She felt like she should stop breathing. Her eyes scanned around them. Come to think of it, the town was unusually quiet. It was early in the morning, but not that early. There should at least be some movement. Serge’s fangs came out, and instinctively she followed suit. A man walked out of the woods. He was slow and purposeful in his movement. Three others were behind him. Serge turned and there was a group coming from behind them. Four more groups came from the side.

  “Hello, friends,” the first man said holding up his hand, motioning for the rest of the group to stop. Serge looked at Mei.

  “Don’t say a word. Don’t look at him.” She felt her heart quicken, and she did what she was told. The man stopped about ten feet away and gave a little wave. “Sergio! Dear, old, friend! I haven’t seen you in forever. They told me that you had gone off to bigger and better things, but truthfully, I never expected this.”

  “Gregory. It’s good to see you again,” Serge said equally as polite. Mei watched as he clenched his fist open end close. He was angry. “I thought that you were in Europe. What are you doing here in the New World?”

  “I was offered a chance that I couldn’t refuse. The King and Queen sent me to look for two fugitives. One of them is a girl. She’s the daughter of Aulus. Remember him? Her mother was a human slave. That makes her something that we can’t have. An abomination.” Gregory never looked at Mei, but she could feel everything being directed at her. “Interesting enough, I never knew you had a daughter or is she your niece?”

  “Why are we playing this game? You and I both know that I’m not going to let you have her. I’m loyal to her father and mother.”

  “Both of whom are no longer a factor,” Gregory said matter-of-factly. Serge stiffened. Mei couldn’t help it.

  “What do you mean by that?” Serge’s hand went out and grabbed her wrist. Gregory’s attention was now turned to her.

  “Well, little fugitive, you are officially an orphan. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but I’m sure you had to know already. Sergio, here, should have prepared you for that.”

  “Don’t talk to her!” Sergio took a step forward which made the other vampires tense up. “If her parents are dead, then she is the rightful heir.”

  “Do you think that the Dominion care about rightful heirs anymore. Do you think that Aulus and Niu died of natural causes? Sergio, my brother, you are so out of touch. That’s why you need me to protect her and not you. That’s why she needs me.”

  “You would have to kill me. I’m not going to let you hurt her.”

  “Hurt h--? I wouldn’t do such a thing. She would just be under my care instead of galivanting throughout the woods living in trees, and stuff.”

  “You don’t want to protect her. You want to take her back with you--to the empire.”

  “Maybe,” Gregory said. “Those were my instructions. What does it matter? You and I both know that the Empire is not going to let this go. Crispus and Drusa will not let this happen.”

  “Again, you would have to kill me.”

  Gregory sighed and looked back to Mei. “I’m sure that Serge has told you about your family, Mei. How your mother was a simple woman who was brought to the Empire as a slave, and she fell in love with a vampire who turned out the be the prince of the throne over the Dominion. We have laws that prohibit a vampire and a human from being in relations with each other and especially reproducing. It complicates things.”

  “So, you killed
my parents?” Mei said softly. She didn’t know who this Gregory was, but she did know that she wasn’t going to go without a fight. Emotions in her were boiling, and she could feel something in her dying to escape.

  “Your parents killed themselves the moment they disobeyed the rules of the Dominion,” Gregory said with an evil smirk. “I merely made sure their disobedience didn’t go unpunished.”

  Mei yelled with a painfully heartfelt scream. Her fangs came out, and before Serge could stop her, bolted at Gregory. His arm reached out seconds before she reached him and grabbed her by the throat. Using the momentum of her speed, he flipped her onto the ground with a heavy thud and the sound of something breaking. The blinding pain hit Mei as she tried to take in a deep breath and was met with sharp pain. The other vampires immediately converged upon Serge. He dodged and ducked them. Though he was older, he was still outnumbered. He ran to the closest tree and broke a branch which he hurtled at the vampire closest to him impaling him in the chest. One down.

  Mei tried to roll onto her stomach, but as she did, Gregory’s sent a kick into her rib cage that sent her airborne. She was trained to fight, but if he was Serge’s age, he was not only stronger than her but infinitely better at fighting. She had to stay away from him.

  Serge rushed for one of his bags and grabbed a large knife. His face grimaced as he was tackled to the ground and jumped by two vampires. His knife quickly dug into flesh and severed one’s head while he felt a stomp onto his leg. He cried out.

  Mei heard her guardian's struggle, but she couldn’t help. Gregory grabbed her by the hair and yanked her to her feet with her back against him. He pulled her head back over his shoulder leaving her neck vulnerable to attack. This is it. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. He was too strong.

  “I applaud your fight, Mei. Your father was a fighter, and one of the best that ever lived. But you have your mother’s frailty. You break, and you can’t heal as fast. You feel pain more. I would take pleasure in killing you, but I’m here to bring you back so the king and queen can do so.” He pulled her head back more and leaned close with his teeth near her throat. “You were never meant to be.”