The Veiled Monarch

by Shae Bryant

  "Interesting. Your Dad just left me a note about Anika." This was strange. The note was vague, but it bid me to call her the moment I got in and ask if she was well.

  In my office, the phone flashed the red warning light telling me I had a message. I picked it up and listened to Anika's voice mail. "Raina, it's Anika. I need to speak to you urgently. It's about..."

  My arms stiffened when a familiar voice came over the speaker. Faulkner interrupted her, "Me. Hello again."

  Anika sighed, "This is a very, very long story. Please call me back soon."

  I stood staring at the door while I still clutched the phone in my hand. I didn't notice both Leo and Chloe in the doorway. They had heard everything. Both of them were standing still, staring at me in complete disbelief.

  "I... I saw him die." Leo choked, "I watched it happen."

  "Was it...?" Chloe trailed off, slowly looking around the room.

  I dropped the phone in the cradle, rubbing my temples, "Uhh...go...call your parents. No. No don't. Stay here. Maybe not. Uhh...go home. It's secure and do not tell Vince! I'll talk to him when I wake up."

  "Hey! Wait! Don't run out! What about Anika?" Leo called after me.

  "She's fine! I hope!" I yelled back.

  I had to go. I had to get to Vince's. Why? He wouldn't be awake for a few more hours. I couldn't wake him up right now. It would do me no good. He had to sleep through the day, or he'd be weak that night. But, if Faulkner was with Anika, she may be in trouble. We all may be in trouble.

  How did this happen? Vince killed him. Leo witnessed it. They buried him. They... I turned my steering wheel, careening off of the exit ramp to get back on the highway and head North. My car screeched into the driveway and I didn't let Brutus out of the house before I ran through the gate and into the back yard.

  The pile of dirt under the palms had been packed down after so many weeks of sitting undisturbed. The flowers Vince put on the site had long since died and were beginning to blend in with the sandy soil. I needed a shovel or a spade. Something! Vince had gardeners. Where did they keep their stuff? I needed...a dog!

  I ran to the pool deck, unlocking the back door. Brutus rushed outside, jumping on me and whining, "What is wrong? Why didn't you come in? It's been hours!"

  "I'm sorry, Brutus." I petted his head, giving him a little hug, "Something happened. I need your help."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Can you come dig something up for me? I know you aren't supposed to, but you can this once."

  "Show me where!" He was all too happy to oblige.

  I led Brutus to the palm trees and pointed to the spot where the ashes had been buried. He scraped his paws along the sand, loosening it up until he could really start to dig. Sand and grass started to fly towards me while Brutus was having a great time digging in the dirt. He dipped his snout into a small hole, snuffling around in it.

  "What did I dig here for?"

  I held onto my stomach when I looked at the empty hole in the yard, "There's nothing there."

  "Nope." He bobbed his head, "It's just a hole."

  "Oh God." I felt sick, "He's not there."

  Brutus ran after me when I shot towards the house, "Raina? Who isn't there? Hey! Wait!"

  I threw myself on the couch and wrapped my arms around my body. My God. He wasn't there. It was his voice I heard coming from Anika's phone. She could already be dead. How?! When a Vampire is dead, they are dead! There had to be some explanation for this. Maybe it wasn't Faulkner at all. It could be some Iron Oath trick, and Anika could be in big trouble.

  Where was Leo and Chloe?! Were they alright? I called him to find out that the two of them decided to go to Hialeah and stay with Brian and Erin at the dealership. I begged them not to tell anyone in the pack about it. Not yet. They promised they would not.

  The sun took forever to set that day. I spent it pacing the house or sitting down on the couch. My only comfort was a Doberman who was very concerned for my well-being. All I wanted was for Vince to wake up. He would know what to do about this. Maybe he would understand this.

  Once the sun started to disappear, the Vampires in South Florida began to wake for the evening. Both Louis and Catherine woke up to a very odd message from Anika. She had requested they both meet her in a park and ride spot near Miami. The message said nothing more than it was urgent they met alone.

  Louis stepped out of his car, quite concerned when he saw Catherine waiting beside her bike. She raised her hand in greeting, feeling the same trepidation he felt.

  "I don't like this." Catherine said.

  "Neither do I." He shook his head, "This isn't like Anika at all."

  A sleek silver Mercedes pulled into the parking lot. The Florida license plate proudly proclaimed "An1ka". It stopped next to Louis, and the door opened. A shiny black sandal with perfectly polished toenails peeked out of the car door and positioned themselves on the ground.

  "Don't look so scared." Anika smiled at them, "I can assure you both I am fine. It's good to see both of you again. How are you,Catherine? I've been so worried."

  "I'm good." Catherine returned Anika's hug, raising her eyebrows at Louis in confusion.

  "And Louis. Give me a hug. I have missed you!" Anika threw her arms around him.

  Louis knew Anika long enough to know this was just the way she was. He gave her a friendly squeeze, "Can't I tell you 'welcome back' somewhere like a cafe or over dinner? Why here?"

  Anika backed up towards the car, "That is going to be difficult to explain. I've brought an old friend of ours back from Europe. I'll let him make the introductions."

  She placed her hand on the handle and pulled it towards her. Two black sneakers stepped on the asphalt. The rest of the body was hidden behind the tinted windows of the car. His hand grasped the top of the door and swung it open. Faulkner sat in the passenger seat, crossing one leg over another.

  "Lovely to see you all again."

  "How!?" Catherine screamed, "You're dead!"

  Louis couldn't find the words to say, "I...he... Vince! Vince killed you! You were buried!"

  "Vincenzo's sentimental burial put me in this situation." Faulkner sneered.

  Anika sighed, "He came to my home in Inverness. I tried to send Vince a message through text, but he didn't understand it."

  "So it was his phone!" Louis tapped the top of the car with his fingers.

  "Yes."

  Catherine pointed to Faulkner, "How!?"

  "If you'd calm down, Miss Kleyman, I can explain." Faulkner leaned back in the seat, making himself comfortable.

  "You know what? Even if you are back from the dead, I don't think I want to talk to you."

  He shrugged, "I deserve that."

  Louis rubbed his face, "I have so many questions. Right now, I want to know if Vince is going to stake every one of us."

  "I hope not. I did contact Raina and leave her a message. I heard she was working with all of you now. Leo confirmed it was true. I think that's nice!" Anika tried to make light of a bad situation.

  Both Louis and Catherine stopped dead in their tracks and stared at each other, uttering a collective, "Oh no..."

  "What?" Anika's eyes darted between them both.

  "Anika..." Louis groaned, "Raina and Vince practically live together now. They're both at home."

  Faulkner laughed, "Still together, are they? How disturbing."

  "She's what!?" Anika waved her hands around, "We have to go!"

  While Anika was rushing to the house, I was busy trying to convince Vince that I heard Faulkner's voice. He was having none of it. In fact, he was getting rather aggravated with me at this point. The two of us were arguing the way I used to with Darius. We were walking back and forth across the floor, shouting at each other and making stabbing motions with our fingers.

  Vince thought this was some elaborate prank. I was trying to explain it was nothing of the sort. That only made him more angry. He slammed his fist on the table, splintering the wood. "I said enough! This isn't fun
ny anymore, Raina!"

  "I am telling you the truth! Why would I lie about this!?"

  "I don't know! I don't know what you are playing at. But, I want it to stop!"

  Brutus was growing increasingly annoyed with Vince's attitude towards me. He padded over to my legs and placed himself in between Vince and I. His shoulder rippled ever so slightly, and he let out a low growl of warning.

  "Brutus, no!"

  "I don't like how he's talking to you." Brutus snorted.

  "Is the dog in on it too?" Vince yelled.

  I wanted to smack him, "Don't treat him like that! He didn't do anything!"

  "Raina, I do not want..." Vince stopped when Brutus ran towards the door barking. Someone had pulled into the driveway.

  Both of us looked out the window to see Anika's silver car. Vince was relieved. Perhaps Anika could talk some sense into me. His hand fell from the door handle when a second person emerged from the car. Vince's legs started to shake and blood began to seep into the whites of his eyes.

  I suddenly felt like I might faint. Faulkner stepped on the path beside Anika, casually ringing the doorbell.

  "Do you believe me now?" I whispered.

  Vince muttered, "I can barely believe my own eyes."

  Anika was the first to come in. She couldn't bring herself to look Vince or I in the eyes. "I'm sorry." She murmured, "He told me everything and I believe him."

  Faulkner stood in front of Vince. Both of them stared at each other for what seemed like hours. Something had changed in him. He no longer had the smug smile that constantly tugged at the corners of his mouth. His eyes weren't taunting us like they had always done before. He looked a little more subdued. A little less threatening and a little more like an old friend who had come to visit.

  "... How?" Vince managed to say.

  "It's been this way for almost three centuries." Faulkner answered him, "It is something they managed to get a very long time ago. And they've used it to control me. Please, Vincenzo. Sit down, so I can tell you what has happened. If you still want to kill me after this, then do it. But, by God please — scatter my ashes into the wind, so I will never deal with it again."

  I forced my legs to move to the couch, and listened to Faulkner explain everything. Anika stood near Vince, giving him her trademark disarming smile whenever he tried to interrupt. She really can calm anyone down.

  Faulkner told us about the device the Iron Oath had. They called it "The Hook". It was what they had been using to keep him under control. If Faulkner got out of line, he would be staked and then brought back.

  The Hook was a form of torture for any Vampire who was caught in its clutches. They remembered everything while in this strange form of limbo. Every ounce of pain from being staked would rush back into their body the moment they reformed. So they would do it over and over again until the pain was too great to bear. Until Faulkner begged them to stop and promised he would do what they asked.

  This device was created when the Iron Oath was first formed. Back when some Non Humans willingly worked with them. Vampires and Werewolves who believed the old ways were barbaric. They agreed with this newly formed group who wanted to help Non Humans and Humans live together in relative harmony.

  One such Vampire worked closely with the ancient Iron Oath. He was helping their alchemists try to find a solution to the problem. The promise was that they would find a way to sustain the Vampires without the need for blood. He submitted himself for experiments and tests, allowing himself to be put through endless pain in hopes that they would help his own.

  What the alchemists were truly looking for was a way to extract the very essence of his life and use it for their own. They utilized the ancient arts that had long been lost to the world — learning how to slowly pull away his life essence drop by drop. The first version of The Hook was a cruel and slow torture that he submitted to willingly. He had so much hope in this experiment, that he took no notice of what they were doing to him.

  When the alchemists succeeded, they drove a stake through his heart and held the ashes for years. His essence was kept in a sealed jar while it was carefully observed. The poor Vampire was aware of everything, but he could do nothing to escape. They would steal small drops of him, trying to find a way to bring him back under their control.

  At the end of the Dark Ages, one of the alchemists stumbled on a discovery. A way to fuse the Vampire essence with the ashes and possibly reform the being itself. The Vampire's ashes were brought forward and the first attempt was a success. They had finally created a way to control Vampires. The only problem was, they would have to create one for each Vampire in order to utilize it properly. The Hook can only handle one Vampire at a time. Not multiple.

  It took years and years to build one Hook. They could not build one for every Vampire in the world. Nor could they catch them. The Iron Oath were Human, and Non Humans avoided them. The solution was to control an old Vampire. The older a Vampire was, the stronger they were. The longer they lived, the fewer weaknesses they had.

  The first Vampire was the one the original experiments were conducted on. He worked for them, did their dirty deeds and passed on their messages through all of Europe. When the New World was discovered and began to be colonized, the Iron Oath saw a chance to expand their horizons. Their Vampire "pet" was to go to the New World and pave the way for them there.

  By this time, he had done too much. He saw his chance to be free on the journey to the colonies. He crept on to the top deck in the middle of the night and tied a stake to the railing. The Vampire threw himself on the stake. The ocean winds scattered his ashes from ship to sea. There was no way the Iron Oath could recover him.

  They had lost their precious pet and would begin to lose their hold in Europe if they weren't careful. A new pet must be found. They spent years searching for the right Vampire. Their eyes fell on two men who had been alive since the Middle Ages — Theodric Faulkner and Vincenzo Moretti.

  Faulkner was the likely choice. He was older than Vincenzo and tended to be a little less Human than his companion. It was perfect. The Iron Oath would have a new pet, and they would have a hold in the colonies as well. All they had to do was lure Faulkner into their trap.

  That didn't take much. He fell for the ruse of a pretty lady who promised him dinner and a romp. When he arrived in her home, a stake was driven through his heart and The Hook was used. Faulkner woke up in immense pain, preparing to throw himself on his captors and kill all of them. But, he was staked again. And again. And again. The entire night was spent experiencing the pain of death until he could take no more. He was left a crying heap on the floor until the following night came.

  That was when they made the deal with him. He was theirs. He had no more choice in the matter. They would watch his every move and make certain that he would be punished for any wrongdoing. If he protested, he would be staked. If he messed up, he would be staked. The constant threat of such torture hung over his head night in and night out. Every time he tried to escape, an Iron Oath officer seemed to be there. Faulkner was at their mercy. He had nowhere else to go.

  He tried to kill himself multiple times and allow his ashes to scatter. Each time he tried, it was thwarted. Then, they would put him through another night of horrific torture until he begged forgiveness. During all of this, he had to pretend that he was living life as normal. He had to convince the others he was still part of them.

  Until Vince Moretti began to suspect them. When the Non Humans of the Virginia Colony began to rise up against the Iron Oath, Faulkner was forced to take action. He begged them to find another way. Give him another assignment. Anything but what they were asking him to do. Every time he protested, he was subjected to the torture.

  His spirit was broken. His heart was aching, but he had no choice. He could not kill himself. He could not escape. He had to do what they asked. So, he killed Vince's wife and son, effectively ending a brotherhood that had lasted for centuries.

  This was when he hardened himse
lf. He convinced himself that it was him against the rest of the world. Humans didn't care for him because he was a Vampire. Non Humans now hated him. If he was stuck working for the Iron Oath, it would now be on his terms and not theirs.

  But, it was nothing more than a lie. Every time Faulkner thought certain he had forgotten his old life, he would feel the pangs of regret. He has spent nearly three centuries in a tortured body and mind. Now that the Iron Oath was hunted, he had his chance to make things right. The Hook could be destroyed. He could be freed and then properly laid to rest.

  Jacob was coming after Vince. There was no question about it. In Jacob's mind, Vince had caused all of this to happen. Their plans had been ruined and the Iron Oath fell because of him. Had he not forced their hand so far, no one would have died, and they would have never been exposed.

  This benefited everyone involved. We could be rid of the Iron Oath on the East coast and Faulkner could destroy The Hook. The only question is, did Vince believe him?

  I didn't realize how tight Vince and I were holding hands as we listened to Faulkner's story. The two of us were digging our nails into each other's skin, sitting on the edge of our seats while Faulkner continued to talk. Once he finished, he looked at the both of us.

  "I tried to send you messages, Vincenzo."

  "Messages?" Vince tilted his head.

  "The card. The letter."

  "That was you?"

  "No one else could have done it."

  Vince rubbed his forehead, "So you were in Virginia."

  "Yes." Faulkner nodded, "And Jacob is still there."

  I put up my hands, "This makes no sense. The Iron Oath actually does have something that's...mystical?"

  "It defies all logic, doesn't it?" Faulkner agreed.

  "How?"

  "Don't you know our origins,Raina?"

  I did know the legend of the Vampires. Just like I knew the legend of the Druids and the Werewolves. Our origin was shared with the Werewolves. The legend said that two siblings split their powers after a dear friend paid the ultimate price to save them all. The legend of the Vampires was similar. A young couple who could have no children took in an old woman they called "Grandmother". When the superstitious village came after the young woman over a sickness that plagued their children, Grandmother revealed her true self and saved them both. The two lovers remained along with the woman they had chosen to love as their own.