by Zara Novak
Weird shrieking sounds folded through the air of the church, and Ansel realized half the shifters had sprinted at the sight of the feral. A few Order members had taken that as their chance to leave too, and only a few people remained in the church now.
“I apologize for taking your kill.” The hooded vampire said while looking in Ansel’s direction. “Anderson has been a thorn in my side for some time now.”
“Wraith?” Eric Belmont walked forward. “It’s me, Eric. I’m your brother.”
The vampire turned to look at Eric, but did not pull his hood back. “You must forgive me Eric. I’m not great with names anymore. I’ve changed quite a lot since the accident.”
“I can see that Wraith. But we’ve found you again now. Why not come home? We can help you get better.”
“No.” The glimpse of a smile came beneath the shadow. “That’s not my plan for today. I’m only here for one reason. Her.”
The hooded vampire pointed at Ellie, the blond haired girl from the White Order.
“Me?!” Ellie gasped.
“Yes.” He said, his voice dark and knowing. “I’ve been trying to get you for some time.”
Ansel's eyes locked on the black stone in the feral's hands. He had the charge. Eric glanced his way, indicating that he had noticed it too.
“Hand over the charge Wraith.” Eric said while trying to keep his voice calm. “And we can talk this over.”
Wraith looked down at the charge in his hand, almost as if he hadn’t noticed it. “This thing? One word of demon tongue and we're all dead. I know that word. It’s SHAVR—”
“No!” Eric jumped forward. “Please. Think of Claire, think of our family. If you kill us now, that will perish.”
“Then comply with my demands.” His voice whispered. “This girl, for the charge. It’s a simple exchange.”
All eyes turned to Ellie. Why was this vampire so fascinated with her? She looked at the shadowy figure and swallowed. If she didn’t go, everyone in this church would die. There were still a good amount of vampires inside the church, maybe a giant explosion wouldn’t be such a bad thing? She’d die but maybe in that death her father might finally see something worth loving.
But you never wanted to kill vampires did you? She asked herself. So why end your life that way?
She walked forward through the dust up to the front of the church, stopping just a few paces away from the charred pit. She was closer to the vampire than anyone else now, and there was a dreadful sick feeling in her stomach.
“Take me then. Hand the charge over to him and we can go… wherever you want to go.” She shuddered. Just what did he want with her? What horrible things did he have in store for her fragile body?
Another wicked grin flashed from under the shadowed cloak. In a flash of movement, the vampire launched the black stone in Eric Belmont’s direction, then he rushed forward and grabbed Ellie from off the ground.
Ansel tried to understand the feral vampire’s complete obsession with this seemingly random girl. As the feral grabbed her and hoisted her over his shoulder, the girl let out a loud cry. It was in that moment that Ansel noticed what made her so special.
“Well, that will be all from me!” The feral shouted while clutching the girl tight on his shoulder. He turned his attention on the few remaining members of the Order. “You'll want to search for me, you'll want to save your friend. I strongly suggest you don’t.” He turned to Eric. “And you… brother. It’s been rather splendid seeing you again, but don’t take it personally if I forget you next time.”
“It doesn’t have to be this way Wraith.” Eric said. “Come back to the castle, we can help you.”
“There’s only one thing that can help me, and I have that right here.”
With a powerful thrust of his legs, Wraith burst upward into the sky and disappeared into the night. Ellie’s screams echoed into nothing, leaving the church in heavy silence.
“I suggest you leave while you still can.” Eric turned and looked at the remaining Order members. The scattered group of men and women flashed nervous looks at each other and nodded, realizing that Eric’s offer was a good one. They were out of the church in less than a minute, leaving the vampires and Logan’s half of the pack.
“It looks like I missed all the fun.”
Turning, the group saw Rubago stood in the church's entrance.
“You have a great sense of timing.” Ansel said.
“Indeed. I understand my sister tried to obliterate all life? You're all still here, so she obviously failed. Who has the charge?”
“Me.” Eric held his hand out, Rubago walked over and took the stone from him, making it disappear between her hands.
“I’ll keep hold of that for now. As for everything else—what happened here?”
They started with the first attack, and talked her through the frantic events of the night, until she was up to speed.
“That is the second time you’ve seen my sister die now Ansel.” Rubago said. “I think you're connected somehow. Tell me, did you feel anything when you killed her?”
Ansel shook his head, thankful he’d absorbed nothing of the witch. “I absorbed nothing, and I’m grateful. I don’t want any of that shit inside of me. She was out of her mind.”
“Nephilim magic is powerful stuff. Play with it for too long and you'll go crazy. Look at Anderson, he wanted to kill everyone, just to accomplish his mission.”
“That is another thing for us to worry about.” Eric said while looking at Ansel. “We all laughed at Draco for his paranoid battles with the Red Circle. From what we hear, they are the ones responsible for the attacks on our family.”
This news seemed to surprise Rubago more than anything else. “I must admit that is very intriguing. The entire purpose of the Circle is to prolong the vampires' existence, so why would they try to eliminate it by thwarting the prophecy?”
She looked at Logan for answers. The shifter shrugged and cracked his knuckles. “Scarrow was the one who arranged the contract with Vangzali. He’s fled along with the other half of our mutinous pack. We’ll hunt them down in the coming days. I might get answers for you then.”
Rubago nodded. “Please keep us updated, any information might help secure the prophecy.”
“What need did my brother have with this girl?” Eric said to Rubago. “Has he lost his mind? Why go to all this effort?”
“I ran into Wraith before I arrived here. From what I understand, his mind is broken since he fell from the castle roof.”
“Broken? You mean to say he’s insane?”
“Not insane.” She countered. “He has drastic amnesia. He is not entirely vampire anymore, he is something much greater.”
“Fuck,” Edmund laughed. “That was evident enough just from the lightning.”
“As for the girl. He's convinced that she is his mate. What he intends to do with her, I cannot say. We can be thankful he showed up however, without him, Anderson would have killed us all.”
“I can explain his obsession with the girl.” Ansel said.
“You can?” Rubago asked.
“When the vampire took the girl, he hoisted her up off the ground and placed her on his shoulder. I’m not sure if anyone else noticed it... the bottom of the girl’s shirt lifted to expose her skin. There at the bottom of her back, was a spiral shaped birthmark.”
Gasps burst throughout the room at Ansel’s comment.
“Then this girl is the next daughter!” Eric said, looking at Rubago with questioning eyes.
Rubago stared at Ansel, who had his eyes fixed on the charred ground in front of him.
“A spiral. Are you sure Draco?”
“Certain. The girl is one of the lost daughters.”
Rubago thought it over. It lined up with Wraith’s demented ramblings about the girl, and it accounted for his unusual interest in her too.
“What now Rubago?” Eric said. “My brother has stolen one of the daughters. Should we find them and take her back?”<
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“No, we need to protect them. Wraith is part of this prophecy now, just as much as you were. He and this girl are destined for each other, and now they're running for their lives. The Order will step up their efforts to find Wraith. In his demented state, they both are vulnerable. It’s up to us to help them. At least now we know that the second daughter exists.”
Now they had to keep her alive. Wraith was out there somewhere, and with him was the key to the vampire’s survival, whether he realized it or not.
21
Kat stood in the corridor, blinking rapidly, not quite believing what she was seeing. The group had returned from the castle, standing among them was Ruth.
“Ruth? Ruth!?”
“Come on, sis.” Ruth rolled her eyes and smiled. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Kat ran, wrapped her arms around Ruth and squeezed her tight, not wanting to let her go. “But how? How?!”
Once they calmed Kat, Ruth gave her a detailed rundown of their escape from the Red Keep. Ruth’s emotions were duller than usual since becoming a vampire, but right now even her heart burst with happiness.
“And where is this Logan?” Kat said, looking around at the group for her sister’s savior. “This mysterious man who helped you to escape?”
“He went with his pack.” Ruth smiled weakly, trying not to let the hurt show on her face. Despite the groups coming to a peaceful resolution, the shifter pack were not willing to go back to the Castle Belmont. Ruth and Logan had parted ways at the church. He promised they would see each other again.
Kat stared at her sister, seeming to pick up the emotion in her eyes. “It’s okay. I’m sure we’ll see him again at some point right?”
“Right.” Edmund walked over and threw an arm around Kat. “We’ll need the help of Logan and his pack to track down Eric’s crazy brother. I don’t know if you heard yet, but he found the next daughter, and he’s taken her for a ride.”
Confusion trickled over Kat’s face.
“Wait, what was that?” Claire walked over to Edmund. “What was that you just said?”
“Perhaps it’s best we sit and talk.” Eric said, walking over from a conversation with Ansel. “A lot happened at the church.”
“You found my sister?” Claire asked, her face drained with white.
“We think so.” Eric said.
“Who is she?”
“A girl from the White Order. We believe her name is Ellie.”
Claire’s eyes widened. “She’s a vampire hunter? My sister is a vampire hunter?”
Kat couldn’t quite believe it herself. One of the daughters of the prophecy was a person that hunted vampires?
“Not only that.” Edmund said. “Eric’s lunatic brother has taken her captive.”
“Wraith?” Claire asked. “Perhaps it is best we sit down. My legs are a bit weak.”
*
The castle was a strangely animated place over the next few days. The victory against Anderson and the witch lifted everyone’s spirits. The prophecy wasn’t safe yet, but they’d made good progress in protecting it. Claire Eldridge was safe and sound. Ellie, the unknown girl, was not safe inside the confines of the Castle, but she was with Wraith at least. As mysterious as his motives were to the group, he seemed perfectly capable of handling himself. The third daughter’s identity was still unknown, but Rubago suspected the prophecy would be satisfied for now.
“Triumphing over Azu and her Nephilim magic is testament that things are going well.” She had said one night over dinner. “Everything happens for a reason. It was no coincidence that Ansel saw the spiral on Ellie’s back, just as it was no coincidence that Logan and Ruth were destined to cross paths at the Keep.”
Ruth was grateful to be back in a more normal reality, but she missed Logan. She was pleased that Edmund had struck up some sort of relationship with one of the Belmont daughters and harbored no ill will there. They both agreed that their relationship ended with him being her maker, and the world kept turning without too much trouble. In the meanwhile, she wanted to learn more about her kind and getting to grips with her new powers, it kept her busy, and it kept her mind off Logan. She struck up good friendships with Eric’s oldest sister, Veronica, and another vampire named Zora Vandark.
“If you’re going to learn about being a vampire honey, then make sure you learn from the best.” Zora said one night after they’d all indulged in too much blood. Ruth got by on the bare minimum of blood during her time in the Keep and never had enough drink to indulge. Here at the castle indulgence was a regular thing, and she discovered the dizzying effects of blood if one consumed too much.
“Come hunting with us, being a vampire doesn’t mean you have to cut your balls off and keep them in a jar.” Veronica cackled. Ruth couldn’t help but laugh, rolling in her chair as she did so, her head swirling with a pleasant dizziness. After that, the three hunted together, an activity Ruth found highly enjoyable. With the plague still going around and Black Fang being a high risk, they only hunted animals, but it was still good fun.
Ansel and Kat wasted little time getting back to their exploration of each other’s bodies. Night and days blurred together in a never ending stream of sensual passion, cresting into unending heights until their bodies were ready to come together as one.
“And won’t it be lovely to have cousins to play with?” Claire cooed one day while playing with the triplets in the nursery. She was excited beyond belief over the prospect of seeing more vampire babies and was keen to get back to it with Eric herself. Watching her children grow each day was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen, and it filled her with happiness that warmed her heart. The triplets were growing smarter, taller and stronger every day. Vrako, the eldest, had a stunning crop of black hair and wide red eyes. Isla’s hair was fair and curly, and she always smiled. Isaac was the youngest by a few minutes, and his hair was jet black, though his eyes were bright blue. They were half human, half vampire, and they would all be mortal until they reached their eighteenth birthday. When they reached that age, their transformation would start, and their bodies would shift toward that of an immortal vampire. Claire wanted to be a vampire too one day, so she could live forever with her family. Before that moment she wanted more children as it was uncertain if her breeding would persist after turning.
Edmund and Sophia became something of an item, and as the weeks passed at the castle, they slowly became more entwined in each other. The union displeased Eric at first, but seeing the two together put his mind at rest. Edmund clearly had a deep affection for the girl.
A strange hollowness lived inside of Ansel after the Nephilim spirits receded. Not having the power was uncomfortable, and a part of him wanted it back. Since Will’s death, Ansel couldn’t bring himself to use his new found powers. Will’s brother, Eli, became close friends with Ansel and encouraged him to use the power to his advantage, but Ansel still wasn’t ready yet. He knew Will was as good as dead, but pulling the sword from his chest still sealed his fate. In some ways he felt responsible, and silently he blamed himself.
His quest against the Circle was still as present as ever, especially since Ruth revealed they were the ones behind the plot to remove the dynasties. Eric showed an interest in ‘taking control back against those that seek to destroy us’, but he said little more than that. Eric’s main goal right now was tracking down Wraith and securing the other daughters. Without them he would lose his family, and that was the most important thing in the world for Eric Belmont.
A few weeks later, scouts reported that the Order had returned to the valley. The first report reached Edmund’s desk almost three weeks after Anderson’s death. A surveillance scout picked up a team of a dozen men and women a few days east of the castle. There were no signs of magical interference or possessed soldiers, but Eric had his men keep a close eye on the group, regardless.
“Keep an eye on them. They’re looking for Wraith and this girl. If we follow them long enough, they might lead us right t
o them.” They had attempted to track Wraith since that night at the church, but the vampire seemed to have vanished into thin air.
“Rubago and I spent the last three hours in a Cognizant state trying to find anything.” Kat said one day during a strategy meeting. “We can’t find a single thing.” Wherever Wraith was, Eric was sure he would be okay. He just wished there was an easy way to bring him home. Between their searches for Wraith, and the other daughter of the prophecy, they kept the valley clear of threats, and tried to control the spread of Black Fang. There was no way of telling where and when infected humans would crop up, but things had gotten better since Anderson’s defeat.
“It’s possible they are connected, driving back the Order helps the prophecy… if the plague is connected to the prophecy it would slow down.” That was one possible explanation, but it didn’t feel sufficient enough for Rubago.
The valley changed constantly, and each day brought something new. New covens of vampires had flocked to the area, reportedly hoping to find a mate. Word had spread rapidly through the world that three breeders now existed in the forest around the Castle Belmont.
Every male vampire in the country was keen to swoop in and find a piece for himself. No formal contact had been made with these new groups yet, but Eric kept his ears to the ground. New covens usually always meant trouble. For now they were lying low, staying hidden, lurking in the shadows somewhere in the forest. Some of them might remain lurking, but most would become an issue at some point.
Vampires became problematic if left unchecked long enough. The new covens would test Eric’s strength soon enough. When that happened he would happily demonstrate his power, until then they would coexist.
After his escape from the Keep, Logan was happy to be back with his pack. The whole ordeal with the Circle had been one giant unnecessary mess. He was thankful to those in his pack that had stayed by his side and kept watch over the York prisoners.
Staying cooped up inside a church must have been hard for his people, shifters liked to run free out in the open. For their loyalty he rewarded them with some quality pack time. He led his pack north through the forest and up into the mountains. Together they spent the new few weeks hunting and living together, living off the land and regaining their strength.