Infinitas 1 - Warriors of Faith

by Andrea Wölk

  Maroush closed the door of the guest room behind him and scanned the room for Sunny. She sat on the floor in one of the corners with her arms and ankles bound starring into space.

  Maroush sat down on a chair half straddling it, and with his chin resting on his lower arm, he looked down at her.

  »I didn’t want to transform him,« mumbled Sunny after a minute. »None of them, but Castaway forced me to. I’m O negative so he used me to build up his army cause I’m compatible with everyone.« Maroush nodded knowingly.

  »I hate Castaway. I despise him for what he’s done to me.« »Did he transform you into a vampire?« asked Maroush calmly and for the first time, Sunny looked up at him and shook her head. »No, that was someone else. I don’t know who it was exactly, but it wasn’t Kilian.«

  And after another minute she asked hesitantly: »What are you going to do with me?«

  »I can’t answer that question yet. We all have to decide that.« He got up out of the chair and sat down Indian style on the floor in front of her. She looked at him skeptically from underneath her thick eyelashes. »What’s your name? Where are you from?«

  »I am Tariq ibn Ziyad. I come from Morocco. My friends call me Maroush and I am a warrior of faith!« Sunny nodded.

  »I’ve heard of you. Castaway was constantly talking about the warriors. That you don’t fear daylight like other vampires. You’re bigger and stronger than all the others and you protect the sacred book. Kilian wants it so that he knows the secret to surviving in daylight. He won’t stop until he’s got it.«

  Maroush nodded. »Yes, he’s been hunting the Diarium and the secret for many years now. We’ve been able to hide from him for a while.« »He created those creatures to help in his search and I had to assist him. I guess you guys aren’t interested in letting me stay.« Contempt crept into her voice.

  »Who knows, maybe you can help us. You could support us in our battle against Castaway, if you’re truly serious.« She ran her hand through her short hair, her movement sending the scent of cinnamon wafting over towards Maroush. His fangs began to grow involuntarily, his entire body reacting to the Sunny’s scent. He felt his pulse speed up and his groin began to throb.

  Completely surprised by her affect on him and to hide his teeth from her, Maroush leapt up and walked over to the window. He needed some distance from her and her seductive scent.

  »Why did you help Aragón?« »I was hoping to free him and then free myself from that horrible prison. I hate my life. It isn’t worth anything if there’s nothing to live for.« Maroush gazed out the window contemplating the depth of her words. »How can you become a warrior of faith?«

  »It’s the fate chosen for you. It’s your destiny, which makes you one of us after your transformation.« »And how did you know? I mean, you didn’t just find out by chance that you could go out into the sun, did you?« Maroush was watching her closely. He didn’t really know the point to all her questions. Was she curious or was she spying for Castaway? Something inside him wished that she was interested in him, a feeling that came so suddenly that it blew him away. For more than a century Sara had been the only one for him and the only woman he’d ever even noticed. Yes, he’d known that a relationship between them wasn’t possible, but another woman had never interested him. Not until he’d run into this little something at the club and become obsessed with her scent of cinnamon. He’d thought about her a lot since that moment, more often than he would have liked, he admitted, which wasn’t so easy for a warrior. She wasn’t a beautiful woman. She was boyish with her short hair, but if you looked at her closely you could literally sink into her dark, nearly black eyes surrounded by thick lashes. Small for a woman, her cheeky tone added a few inches to her. Her skin was light, so she was most likely of North American or Western European origin. Sunny noticed that Maroush was assessing her and didn’t suspect anything good from it. »You don’t trust me, do you?« She stuck out her chin impertinently. »You’re right. I wouldn’t trust myself either.« There was slight sadness in her eyes when she said it, but only for a moment and then she got a hold of herself and her eyes turned expressionless. »After transformation, a tattoo appears on your body with your maxim revealing to you the warrior you were destined to become.« Sunny’s eyes visibly widened.

  »Show me your tattoo!« She stood up but with enough distance between her and Maroush. If there was hesitation, he didn’t let it show. In one quick movement, he set down his sword and pulled his black sweater over his head. Sunny stared transfixed at his bare chest, where the tattoo bearing the maxim Ultima Ratio – The last resort snaked down his back and disappeared under the seam of this cargo pants. Maroush heard the sound of clothes rustling and when he turned around, Sunny was standing there in front of him in her underwear. »Do you mean something like this?«

  Before Channing brought Sara up to her room, they checked on Eva one more time. She was sleeping and the large wound on her neck was had stopped bleeding and was beginning to close. That was a good sign that the vampire blood was doing its job of healing the wound.

  She’d sleep for another few hours and then she would need fresh blood again. Channing had brought her into his room and her pale face looked pretty forlorn in his giant bed. She didn’t seem to be in any pain, which slightly eased Channing’s conscience.

  Shia was asleep too, so that his bullet wounds could heal themselves. Sara ran her hand gently across his cheek. How often had she seen him like this? The constant fear of losing him made her crazy. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She turned around abruptly and went into her room with Channing following behind her.

  She stood at the window looking out at the ocean. Channing watched her and only after her shoulders began to shake did he notice that she was crying. He walked up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her. »Everything will be okay, believe me. We can handle this. You’re not alone anymore, my darling.« His comforting words felt good and she nodded, not being in the condition to speak. Then she wiped her tears away and said, »You know, I’m going to miss this view, but we have to get out of this house. Philippe knows where to find us and it won’t take long before Castaway shows up here with an entire army of creatures. He thinks we have the Diarium. We have to go and the sooner the better. We’ll never be able to come back here« She said it calmly, as if she’d been in this situation many times before, but Channing couldn’t bring himself to ask her about it.

  »Do you need to feed? Are you okay?« Worried, he turned Sara’s head towards him so that he could look her in the eyes.

  »No, don’t worry. I’m fine. Save your blood for Eva. She’ll need it later. Thank you for saving her life. I’m sure Shia will be thankful, too. But why you?« Channing shrugged, »O-negative!« That explained everything.

  He picked Sara up and carried her to the bed and the two of them made themselves comfortable. »You should try to rest,« he whispered softly laying her head down on his chest.

  »We have to find the sacred book as soon as possible and get out of here. Our family has grown over the last few days, which means we have a lot of people to take care of,« he reminded her.

  »Are you serious? Do you really think that we’re a family?« She looked Channing in the eyes surprised. »Yes, that’s how I see it anyway. You’re my family now and I don’t want to live without anyone, especially you.« He leaned forward and kissed her lips. She kissed him back running her fingers through his hair. Channing suddenly felt desire well up inside of him. In whatever situation they found themselves in, as soon as she was in his arms, his body reacted to her in a way he couldn’t control anymore. He was just crazy about her. He pressed her to the bed, sliding over on top of her. He could feel her hands slide across his chest, as she opened her lips to search with her tongue for his. He held her long red curls, running them through his fingers and although both of them were completely dressed, each could feel the heat of the other.

  Sara pulled off Channing’s sweater fervently and then suddenly paused. »I have to tell you some
thing,« she whispered to him looking into his shiny silver eyes. »That night in the warehouse … what happened between you and me. That wasn’t just because of our nature. I wanted you, just the way you are. I had to feel your skin. I’d wanted you ever since I’d heard you playing the piano. Even then I wanted you. Whenever I look into your eyes, I want you and it definitely means something. It means that I love you. I can feel the love in my heart and not because it’s written down somewhere.« She said it all without taking a single breath for fear of forgetting the words or not telling Channing everything she wanted to. And she didn’t care how he would react. Channing gazed back at her in silence and then let out a deep sigh. He couldn’t fight it anymore. His desire for Sara, which he’d been trying to ignore all this time, burned inside of him with tremendous intensity whenever she came near him. It didn’t make any sense to fight it because he knew that he would only lose that battle. He didn’t want to, but be had to admit that he loved her too. So much so, that it even hurt sometimes. »I thought my life was over, but with you it feels like I’m starting over. Before I met you, my world was so empty. You fill it with sunlight. Now, finally, with you, I feel complete. I love you Sara. I can’t live without you.«

  His words needed a few seconds to sink in before she understood what he was telling her.

  She traced the contours of his face with her finger, as if she were trying to lock it into her memory forever.

  A loud cry broke the spell that the both of them were under. It was Eva waking up out of her curative sleep needing more blood. Her entire body was in pain and a fire seemed to be burning from within her. She thrashed back and forth moaning, but nothing helped. »Eva, stay calm. Here, drink something. You’ll feel better soon.« Eva recognized Channing. He was bent over her with his sleeves rolled up biting his own wrist. Then he held the open wound out to her. Her tongue licked up the dark liquid greedily and with one swallow, she felt the pain leaving her body. She pressed Channing’s hand hard against her lips to get her pain killing medicine even faster. She felt Sara tenderly caress her hair and lay a cool, damp cloth on her forehead. It felt good to be taken care of, although she wasn’t really sure where she was and what was happening to her. A sound at the door made Channing and Sara turn and look. There, standing motionless and terror-stricken in the doorway was Shia! Neither of them knew how long he’d been standing there watching them, but his face spoke volumes. He entered the room in menacing strides.

  »Holy shit! What are you doing to Eva?« He jumped at Channing trying to tear him away from her, but he snarled flashing his fangs threateningly. »Don’t come any closer! I’m trying to help Eva.« »Shia, please, calm down.« Sara stepped between the two of them. The wounds on his chest had healed, but he was still wearing the blood-smeared clothes. »Listen. Eva’s condition is good under these circumstances. We had to transform her after a creature attacked her. She was trying to help you. You were shot pretty badly and then lost consciousness. Eva tried to protect you from the hunters and almost paid with her life.« Shia stared wide-eyed at Eva who was still intently feeding from Channing’s wrist.

  »She gave up her mortal life to save me?« The words hung heavy in his dazed consciousness. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing and when no one said anything, he added: »She sacrificed herself so that I could live.« It was just a whisper over his lips. Disbelief was spread across his face, as he knew how much Eva’s mortal life had meant to her. Now she’d given it up for love. Would she hate him for this? Although it wasn’t clear to her now in her current condition, he’d taken everything from her.

  »Who transformed her?« he asked contemptuously and for a second you could have heard a pin drop. »I did.« Channing looked him straight in the eyes without fear or regret. Eva had fed enough and fell into her pillow exhausted. She looked a little better and her face wasn’t as pale. Shia returned Channing’s stare, unsure whether he should tear him to pieces or shake his hand in thanks.

  »Shia.« Eva said weakly. »Come here to me, please.« She reached out her hands to him for help. He looked away from Sara and Channing and turned his attention to Eva. He sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and lovingly brushed her hair from her forehead.

  »What happened to me?« She looked him questioningly in the eyes. He looked towards the door for help, but Channing and Sara had already left the room.

  »Channing had to transform you. You were so badly injured.« He softly caressed her cheek.

  »Injured ... transformed? Oh God, Shia ... you don’t mean I’m a vampire now, do you?« Fear was written all over her face.

  »I’ll have to drink blood for the rest of my life to survive?« »Yes,« nodded Shia earnestly.

  »Yes, Eva, that’s what you are now. One of us. Don’t be afraid. Everything will be okay. No, actually, everything will be better!«

  »But why didn’t you transform me?« »I was too injured. You saved my life and gave up your mortal life in the process. You made the ultimate sacrifice! I wish I could have done the same for you.« He kissed her gently on the lips. »Sleep now, my darling. You’ll feel better soon and then we can talk about everything that’s happened.«

  Channing found Aragón sitting on a large stone watching the sun come up from the cliff. Before he actually reached him, Aragón turned around and greeted him with a nod.

  »How are you, my brother?« »Good. Very good. Thanks to the blood I received from Sunny.« »She gave you her blood?« Aragón shook his head. »No, she snuck in a bag of blood. It was O-negative. What do you think about her?« Channing shrugged his shoulders. »I can’t really say. Maroush is the only one who’s had a chance to talk to her. But what she did for you certainly put her in great danger. Castaway could have caught her.« Aragón nodded.

  »Or he’s using her as a mole.« »And what does your gut say? Do you really think she might he a mole?« Aragón was watching the sun taking over the night sky and it took him a minute to answer. »My gut says she’s good, but she’s a vampire. Can we really trust a vampire?« He said smiling. It was a tired, but proud smile of a man who’d just won a battle.

  »We’ll have to break camp here pretty soon.« Aragón nodded in agreement.

  »Yes, my friend, you’re right. We don’t have more than one or two days. We killed a lot of creatures, but we don’t know how many Castaway has created for his purpose and where he’s hidden them all. Maybe Sunny can give us some information. We should talk to her!« »Aragón, what did you say to us when we rescued you? My Spanish is rusty.« Both of them turned down the path that led back to the house. »You mean Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres? Well, it means, show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are! «

  Ruben soothingly stroked Phoebe’s hair. She was lying on his bed starring out the window. Unlike the other bedrooms in the house, his room didn’t look out at the ocean, but rather into the small yard in the back of the house. »Pete is dead!« she whispered repeatedly to herself. »They just shot him ... he’s dead!« »Was he your friend?« asked Ruben carefully, but Phoebe shook her head. »He was my blood host, my only source and maybe he was my friend. I mean, I wasn’t in love with him, but he fed me and now I don’t have anyone.« »No, that’s not true. You have us. You are one of us. We’ll find a safe new place for you...« »Why? If I starve? I can’t just look for a host like you do. I’d have to go out onto the street!« She interrupted him brusquely.

  »Yes, I know, Phoebe,« he relented. »You could drink from me.« He said it without even thinking about it. She turned towards him completely exposing her scar, as if she were

  trying to scare him away. »You’re a warrior! You know that’s impossible!« She hissed. He wasn’t swayed by her testiness and just shrugged his shoulders. »Why now?« »You know exactly what I mean. We’d be connected for eternity. I’d always feel you and I doubt that’s what you want. I’m not a warrior and when you find your soulmate, I’m sure I’d be in the way. No chance. Thank you for your offer, but you should have left me in the bank.« »And risk
you being burned alive? Impossible! Do you even know how important you are to us? You’re one of us! Even if you don’t fight with a sword in your hand, your weapon is just as powerful, Phoebe!«

  She sat up and looked at him provocatively.

  »Have you seen my face or are you just dense? I can’t go out anywhere. Everyone just gives me pitiful looks. It makes me sick! No thank you. I’d rather spare myself that.« She turned her back to him. He held his hands up in the air in defeat. »We’re not finished talking about this!«

  He slammed the door behind him. »Women!« complained Ruben to himself as he walked down the hall angrily. He desperately needed some fresh air, otherwise he felt like he was going to be sick.

  The loud slamming of the door snapped Maroush sharply back into reality. He was starring at Sunny in disbelief, having discovered the warrior’s tattoo. It wound down her torso to her legs ending on her left thigh. Impossible. His eyes and mind were playing tricks on him. Frightened by the look on his face, Sunny quickly pulled her pants back on and sat down on the floor in the corner of the room.

  »Where did you get that?« asked Maroush surprised. Sunny shrugged indifferently.

  »I’ve had it a long time. Actually ever since my transformation.« He pulled his sweater back on and stepped closer to Sunny. »Can I see it again?« »You’d like that wouldn’t you? Me taking my pants off one more time. No way!« She shook her head wildly, but he’d already seen enough. He was speechless. »Is it like the one you have?« Maroush nodded in silence. »What kind of words are those?« »It’s Latin. It’s your maxim,« he explained succinctly. »What does it mean? Wait, you said it’s my destiny. I don’t speak Latin, please tell me what’s there and what it means!« »It says Ultima Ratio … The last resort!«