Trusted Enemies

Chapter 22

Trusted Enemies

"I had learned to control and trust my instincts but at the time of meeting the vampires those instincts were in a state of flux. The more I thought about it the more of what Victor said made sense. But should I trust him... he did say there was so much I didn't know... but to me... that also included him. What was I suppose to do with this newly found information... I was so confused."Celeste thinks as she sits by a campfire in the distant post apocalypse future.

Back at the past, at the Mondragon Manor, Sadie paces in the war room frantically and is soon met by Anabel.

Translated in Vampyric.

Anabel: You're back fast I see...

Sadie: Flying makes for faster travel.... you'd know that if you'd take more time to harness your skill and abilities of what we are and instead of fornication...besides I needed to get back before dawn.

Anabel: Well I would take an orgasm over flying any day...not too keen with heights...So you took care of it?

Sadie: I bought us some time... but yes your little pet is secured... and luckily so is Inkil....but we have to find a way to block mother’s eye on us. (Saying as she stops pacing to look out the window)

Anabel: Well I might have something for that...but you'll have to keep an open mind about it....

Sadie: What exactly?

Anabel: When you left it came to me... there are many tools witches used to channel certain things for power and energy...spirits.. creatures... artifacts...the elements and stuff right?

Sadie: Yes...what's your point?

Anabel: So I figured if they have these things... why not one that makes things invisible?

Sadie: Go on.... (saying as she sits down at the table)

Anabel: Louise!

Louise rushes in almost inhumanly fast with large book in hand to presents it to Anabel. She places it on the table.

Anabel: In, before and during the crusades the elders confiscated every cursed object, totem and pendant they could find right?

Sadie: Yes...among other things... you still have my interest but you are slowly losing it.

Anabel: As the artifacts were procured across the world they were logged into this book by origin...what it's made of... where it comes from...how much it's worth on the black market and even more so... (saying as she flips through the book, stops and turns to a page sliding the book to the Sadie) what it can do?

Sadie takes the books and looks into to see a small article.

Sadie: The Cloak of invisibility? (taking book)

Anabel: Witchy artifact that promotes the wearer total invisibility to the eye of others looking on.

Sadie: Wear? Really? And how exactly do you expect to fix this little sister? You going to take a blanket and drape it over a large castle? This is bullshit! (saying as she closes the book and tosses it to the floor and begins to leave the room)

Anabel: Or big sister! We can have a witch channel the magic from the cloak to drape it over the castle... it would render us and all within it invisible from anyone looking outside...including mother. (Sadie stops in her tracks leaving the room)

Sadie: Alright... but can you get the little witch to...

Anabel: Already on it... Louise? (Louise nods in agreement and leaves)

Sadie: Alright then... I guess I have some packing to do. (saying as she starts to leave the room again)

Anabel: Excuse me?

Sadie: To get the cloak.

Anabel: Wait you know where it is?

Sadie: Oh sister...again neglecting your studies... you do know that our family was part of the expedition that collected the artifacts and locked them up for safe keeping in India right?

Anabel: No...but wait... our family has an entire location of magical artifacts? How is it that no one else knows this?

Sadie: They do..it's part of the studies and news that collects over the centuries among the covens...information you'd know if you'd do more than just...get off... I will be gone by dusk. I trust you can keep watch over our home for a little while (saying as she leaves the room) will be gone a few days.

Anabel looks on angry.

Back in Paris Celeste is woken up by Inkil after passing out from drinking at a table, waking up groggy and half sleep with an imprint often table on her face.

Translated from French.

Celeste: Hey... what the hell?

Inkil: Couldn't sleep in a room? or...even a bed at least?

Celeste: Not...this time... (saying as she puts her head back on the table)

Inkil: Looks like you had a rough night...

Celeste: Kid.... you don't know the half of it. (saying as she sits up and pours another drink for herself)

Inkil: Maybe you should stop? (takes the bottle from her but is stopped by Celeste's fast hands of speed)

Celeste: Look kid... I don’t need a parent...you do... (takes bottle and walks away) where's Fernand?

Inkil follows.

Inkil: He...he was upstairs last I saw...Haven’t seen him since last night.

Celeste grows concern.

Celeste: Fuck (runs off with Inkil close behind)

Celeste runs to Fernand's room fast as possible and beats on the door.

Celeste: Rise and shine Fernand! Time to go!

There is no answer.

Celeste: Open up right now Fernand!

Celeste pushes the door, breaking it, and rushes into the room to find the girl Fernand was with and he asleep underneath the bed, the girls sits on top completely naked covered in claw marks, bite marks and lifeless. Seeing this Inkil vomits. The commotion summons the owner at the saloons bar who arrives to find the horror. Shocked he screams in horror "murderers!" and runs out of the room in a frantic.

Celeste: Shit! Inkil we're leaving wake Fernand now! (saying as she runs after the bartender)

She jumps over the railing and lands in front of the owner. He pushes her to the side screaming for help. With the saloon empty Celeste uses a magic spell to stop the owner in a temporal field long enough to wipe his memory of what he saw. Leaving a large sum of money for the stay; he then goes back to opening the bar for the day in a blank expression as if nothing happened. Inkil sees this and gets her attention.

Inkil: I...I can't wake him!

Celeste runs back upstairs, and pulls Fernand from under the bed into the shadows of the room..

Celeste: Pull the wagon around to the window... go!

Inkil leaves the room fast as he can to the horse and wagon outside the saloon. Celeste frantically tries to wake Fernand and he doesn't respond. She then exposes his hand to the sun waking him in pain as it sizzles. He snarls at her as if he doesn't know who she is and she slaps him hard bringing him to.

Fernand: Wha...what happened? Celeste?

Celeste: I'll tell you what happened you monstrous shit (says as she points to the dead girl)...

Fernand: No no... nonononononono I... I didn't do that!

Celeste: Sure as hell could have fooled me cause you're covered in her blood!

Fernand: No I didn't! I swear to god! I... we came up here...things got hot... we fucked...in the heat of the moment I did bite her but I didn’t do  THAT to her.... I swear it!

As Fernand starts to cry in a frantic Celeste knocks him out cold to quiet him down. She then hears Inkil pull up in  the wagon outside and covers Fernand up with a thick blanket on the floor. She quickly observes the scene of the room, checks the girl then throws Fernand over her shoulder and tosses him into the wagon below covered with the blanket covering him. She says a small spell to ignite the bed spread on fire and watches as the flames slowly engulf the room and jumps into the wagon herself next to Inkil.

Celeste: Go!

Inkil: Where are we going?!

Celeste: Just far from hear! Go!

The three ride off as fast as they can and Celeste hears the commotion back in the saloon of people screaming at the fire and moments later of them trying to put it out with water. Hours pass into nightfall and Sadie boards a ship at the docks. She compels the crew to not only let her on the ship but to serve her every need from shelter from the sun to blood to make her way to India.

As Celeste, Inkil and Fernand (who sits covered and cowardly weeping in the pack of the wagon) ride the road, Inkil and Celeste attempt to discuss what happened over the night as they sit side by side in front of the open wagon.

Translated from Egyptian.

Inkil: So are you going to tell me what happened last night?

Celeste: I...uh.. drank 'til I passed out and that is it. Question Answered.

Inkil: And yet for some reason I don't think that was all that happened...

Celeste: I had fun by myself, and from what I could hear and saw you did the same...only with company. So there is really nothing left to talk about.

Inkil: But you're upset so it's clearly some...

Celeste: Just leave it!... please...

Inkil: Fine... but I thought...I thought we agreed to be honest with the other. That we were you know..becoming friends. Guess that was bullshit. (saying as he leaves the seat in from next to Celeste who continues to drive the horses)

Celeste: Wait... listen... I'm sorry. My trust has been strained a bit lately, I will admit. You're probably the only person I can actually trust these days... you've got nothing to lose... nothing to gain...

Inkil returns back to the seat next to Celeste.

Inkil: So what happened?

Celeste: I found out some disturbing news last night and I am still...kind of trying to wrap my head around it. Part of that was the drinking...but apparently I can’t get drunk...not like everyone else.

Inkil: Yes... that's true... your kind are different...

Celeste: My kind? Inkil... what do you (she is then interrupted by a crazed suicide attempt of Fernand removing his blanket to expose himself to the sunlight and jumps from the wagon).

Celeste: Shit!

Acting as fast as they can, Inkil and Celeste tackle the burning Fernand and cover him with the blanket. He fights back but his vampire strength is weakened from the exposure to the sun and the flames that slowly begin to engulf him, distracted by the commotion the horses speed off; continuing down the road. Fernand passes out and Celeste leaves Inkil with him to chase the horse and wagon down the road. Running as fast as a wild animal she manages to catch up to it and slow it down bringing it back.

Celeste: Come one..help me get him back on.

As the two begin to do so Inkil starts to grow upset.

Inkil: What are we going to do with him?

Celeste: I'm not sure at this point... I am still trying to figure it out.

A small silence comes over both.

Inkil: We could just take the blanket off and ride away...

Celeste: Kill him? Are you serious?

Inkil: Yes...

Celeste: I...I don't think that's a good idea...

Inkil: Why not...he killed that girl... he tried to kill me before too...

Celeste: We don't know if he tried to kill her...

Inkil: You saw what I did! He's a murderer! Like the rest of the fucking bloodsuckers!

Celeste: Whoa! Hey! That's enough... Look... I know you have an issue with them...becoming one..all they have done to you..your friends... but that wasn’t Fernand's fault... He's not to blame. He's going through exactly what you will in time...learn from his mistakes... don’t hate him for it.

Inkil: But the girl...

Celeste: I don't think he killed that girl... I can't explain it right now... but I know. Trust me...

Inkil: ...

Celeste: Come on... I saw some tracks up ahead so there's probably a town or something close by. Let's get there...get some breakfast ...some water and think.

The to place Fernand in the wagon and ride off with him tied up in the back, following the trail down a dirt road.

Back on the ship to India, Sadie continues to compel her way through the crew on the ship as it makes its way through the waters toward India; feeding on those she needs to when she needs to, but growing impatient in the travel at the same time. Meanwhile Anabel sits at home in the family library at Mondragon Manor staring at the books. With aggravation she stands up and begins to read one of the many books the many books of her people and anything else she can find that would be important.

Celeste, Fernand and Inkil never come upon another town and night time falls leading the three to make a camp. Fernand is tied to a tree, still unconscious; while Celeste meditates by the night side cliff. Inkil sits by the fire behind her in a short distance cooking. He leaves the fire pit and walks toward her slowly.

Translate in Egyptian.

Inkil: Listen... I'm sorry about what I said earlier...about you friend. It was wrong. I just get so upset when it comes to them... I kind of lose myself in the anger.

Responding with her eyes still closed and still sitting down in meditation.

Celeste: It's ok... I understand. Emotions are a fragile thing...

Inkil: But you were right... it's not Fernand's fault... he didn't choose to become what he is. Like I don’t have a choice myself ...

Celeste: ...

Inkil: I... I'm just really scared... more so of becoming like them after I turn...hurting people... my friends in the manor... losing myself.

Celeste breaks meditation and turns to face Inkil.

Celeste: I won’t let that happen.... Not at all...

Inkil: You uh... said earlier that you..knew... Do you... really think he didn’t kill that girl?

Celeste: I know he didn’t...

Inkil: How? Was it magic?

Celeste: Actually not so much... evidence of the scene.

Inkil: What do you mean? (saying as he walks to the cliff closer to Celeste)

Celeste: Before we left I got strange scent... one was from Fernand... the other...the girl... and a third... something unfamiliar.

Inkil: Did he have another girl in the room or a guy or something?

Celeste: Something... what..I don’t know... but I'm going to find it.. track it. Couldn't have gone too far.

Inkil: I almost forgot your kind can do that...

Celeste: Do what?

Inkil: Track things by scent...

Celeste: Inkil you know that's the second time I've heard you say "my kind" what do you mean by my kind?

Inkil: um...nothing... just.

Celeste: Hey... we said we wouldn't do that anymore... I have to know.... do you know what I am?

A short silence.

Inkil: Yes...

Celeste: And?

Inkil: You're...a dhampir...half vampire...half human...

Celeste: Did Mistress Sadie or Anabel tell you that?

Inkil: No...I uh... I overheard them one night...

Celeste: How? They talk in that language...

Inkil: Vampyric... I'm not suppose to know what they are saying but growing up hearing it... bit at a time... I was able to understand it... words speak in a kind of way... like parts to a machine... I just had to listen and decipher it.

Celeste: They don't know you know it do they?

Inkil: I can understand it ...read it.. speaking it is hard but... No they don’t... please don’t...

Celeste: Don’t even have to ask...you're keeping my secret of what I can do... I would however like something from you in return...

Inkil: Uh oh...

Celeste: Teach it to me.

Inkil: What?

Celeste: You figured this out... I need to know this language... it's important... the only way..

Inkil: Ok.. (saying with doubt in his voice)

Celeste: And in exchange... I will teach you how to control your hunger like I did with Fernand... after you turn.

Inkil: But how...

Celeste: Just let me figure that out... will you do this for me?

Inkil: Yes.. Yes I can.

Celeste: Thank you... now take this.

Standing up and handing a barely braided and twined of leafs and herbs.

Inkil: What is this?

Celeste: This will protect your mind from... invasion... trust me. Now come...let's eat and rest.

Saying as she walks toward the fire then stops. Inkil follows behind.

A couple hours pass after the two eat and sit opposite sides of the camp fire with an unconscious Fernand tied to a tree.

Celeste: Do you think he will ever wake up?

Inkil: Why would you ask me?

Celeste: Because I think you know a little more than I thought...you grew up around them. Like... clearly the vampires are sensitive to sunlight..What other weaknesses do they have?

Inkil: There aren’t really any...

Celeste: Really?

Inkil: Yes... I mean... I guess their thirst would be one cause without it they um... kind of go into a husk like dead state over time.

Celeste: What do you mean?

Inkil: Like... they kind of become rotting corpses... dried decayed skin like fruit after it rots...unable to move for themselves until someone feeds them.

Celeste: A kind of living statue or dedicated state... I see. You've seen this?

Inkil: Not in a while. I spend most of my time just making the weapons now but growing up I witness allot of vampyric trials... some where the punishment was starvation. When the accused returned to court they looked almost dried out... like fruit you leave in the sun.

Celeste: So it's something they do to their own kind as punishment?

Inkil: Yes...they are really strict with their laws not just with rules they give their slaves...but their own kind as well.

Celeste: Like what for example?

Inkil: Um...there was this guy once accused of stealing from a coven leader so his fangs were removed and he was cast into an iron coffin for 6 months...when he returned his fangs had grown back but he could barely move.

Celeste: I see... Inkil... you made mention of my kind...that you know of my kind...

Inkil: Dhampir's yes... I heard Mistress Sadie say it once...

Celeste: What else do you know about us?

Inkil: As part of their training and grooming as young vampires, the mistresses have to part take into history lessons of the vampire race. Mistress Sadie would bring me to her sessions to do things when I was her personal slave... she taught me to write so I could do her assignments for her...and to read so I translate scriptures and relay them in her own personal journals and notes...battle tactics....

Celeste: She groomed you as she was groomed.

Inkil: When she would read I would stand over her shoulder and read.

Celeste: What happened to my kind? Why aren’t their more of us?

Inkil: I'm not sure completely but...at one time in vampire history it was declared dhampirs as abominations. That any naturally born were to be killed immediately... hundreds were slaughtered in days and it was a law that stands until today.

A shocked expression comes upon Celeste.

Inkil: I'm sorry... I..

Celeste: No... don’t apologize... do you know when this happened?

Inkil: I don’t know...hundreds of years ago I think...

Celeste: Why... why were my kind considered to be... abominations? (she says with discuss)

Inkil: The vampire clans decreed that any creature superior to them was an enemy if it couldn’t be controlled. The strength...speed... healing... the flying..

Celeste: They can fly?

Inkil: Some of them...not all... the immortality of a vampire in a single human was and is a threat to them and had to be destroyed.

Celeste: Like werewolves...

Inkil: I guess...

Celeste: Were...were the werewolves ever slaughtered like my people?

Inkil: I don’t know... I mean I did hear about a rebellion of werewolves but I don’t know... listen I was just raised to make weapons to kill them and any other monster the vampires saw as a threat...

Celeste: I see. (Saying as she gets up)

Inkil: Look... I'm sorry but the revolt of the lycans was before my time... I don’t know anything about it.

Celeste: No it's fine... I believe you. (saying as she starts to pack weapons she needs)

Inkil: Well what... what are you going to do?

Celeste: Going to go stop it...stop them...

Inkil: No...you can't...

Celeste: What's stopping me?

Inkil: I am... if you storm that house you'll get allot of the people inside killed... allot of innocent human life...people I grew up with... (Celeste stops in her tracks) And who knows they just might turn me sooner for my part...or worse. (She turns around and when she does Fernand begins to wake up)

Translated in French.

Fernand: What... what happened?

Celeste walks over to Fernand.

Celeste: You don't remember?

Fernand: No... It's like I have been asleep... last thing I remember was that girl at the bar.

Celeste: Must be trauma from the burns. (she says to Inkil)

Fernand: Burns?

Celeste: It will come back to you soon...for now... you should eat...

Fernand: Good I'm starving (he says as he tries to stand up but is stopped by his ropes) what... what is this?

Inkil: We had to restrain you after you tried to kill yourself by walking into the sunlight.

Fernand: Kill myself I would... (he starts to wonder off and have memories of the previous night and begin to weep) oh no...that...

Celeste: No...Fernand...no... listen I need you to calm down and tell me what exactly happened.

Fernand still crying slightly.

Fernand: We went into the room... things started to get hot... I uh... I compelled her to let me bite her as we fucked. She actually liked it and wanted me to do so on her inner thigh...and she got off on it. She liked me... we went at it a few more times and then...I fell asleep... next thing I know... I'm waking up and there is blood everywhere and it's morning.

Celeste: I need you to think harder of what happened after you fell asleep.

Fernand: I told you.... I woke up and it was morning.

Inkil: He said...he said he bit her on the thigh?

Celeste: Yes...but what good is that?

Inkil: Remember? The girl was covered in claw marks and I think I saw allot of neck wounds.

Celeste: So you think maybe a wolf?

Inkil: No...lycans mangle and maul their prey... she wasn’t mangled nor mauled...and vampires usually feed from one consistent area in a feeding because the blood rushes there after the first bite.

Celeste: So if he was biting her inner thigh during sex it means...

Inkil: Something else really was in the room like you said.

Fernand: Something else?

Celeste: Get him some food.

Saying as she walks back to her small bundle of weapons, removes a sword, and cuts down a tree trunk then sheaths the sword and starts walking to the edge of the cliff as Inkil walks fast behind her.

Inkil: What... What are you going to do? (saying as he catches up to her and they both stop at the edge)

Celeste: Be the hired hand I'm supposed to be.

Celeste then straps the weapons to her back, jumps off the sides of the cliff, places the trunk between her legs, cast an enchantment spell and flies off on it into the distance.

"And at that time my focus was clear and it was then that I knew exactly what to do..."