by J. Thiele
“Well at least they’re off our backs.” He said as he put the phone back in its cradle.
“So, where’s wonder boy?” Rick asked.
No-one answered. “What’s going on? Where’s Ray?” He asked again.
“Oh for Christ sake, everyone, will you all stop acting like it’s the end of the world. He’s gonna be fine.” Casey said as she pulled Rick aside to fill him in.
A few minutes later Rick’s voice echoed across the room. “ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS CASEY, FOR ONCE IN YOUR GOD DAMMED LIFE THINK ABOUT OTHERS RATHER THAN YOUR FUCKING SELF RIGHTEOUS SELF!”
“I think he knows.” Pearce said under his breath.
Rick stormed over to the rest of the team. “Did anybody try and stop this? Did any of you think what this would do to him?” he turned to Damon, “And you? You should have known better, after all, aren’t you supposed to be the new be-all-and-end-all?” he stepped closer to Damon, “And what the fuck were you thinking leaving him alone with that woman in the first place, wasn’t it enough that she’d almost killed him once already. She’s a ticking fucking time bomb!” he raised his voice.
Suddenly the reality of what had happened hit Casey, and she broke down crying.
Rick looked at her without sympathy, “Save your tears for Ray.” He pushed past her and made his way to the top floor.
“Ray!” he called out, hoping to save himself having to search the cells.
“What do you want asshole? Come to look at the freak have you?” Ray responded.
“Jesus Ray, I’m sorry, if I was here I would have stopped them.” He told him.
“Well where were you? Home with ya precious wife and kids hey? Something I’ll never get the chance to do.”
“I know your angry, fuck I would be too, but we’ll get through this Ray. I promise.”
Ray stood at the bars “What’s with the ‘we’ you fucking moron? Are you going to let them drain you of your blood then fill you with theirs, so you and I can be we? If not then there is no fucking we!”
The energy Ray’s anger was burning was taking its toll. He hadn’t fed and was getting weak. He swayed and held his head in his hands as the room around him began to spin.
“Ray, you need to feed. Drink.”
“NEVER!” Ray shouted. “I will not become one of them.” he sat on the bed.
“Then you will perish as is your wish. Whatever you do, I’m right here Ray, I won’t leave you. I promise.”
“I’m scared Rick” Ray admitted.
“I know you are Ray, but I’m here buddy, whether you drink or not, I’m here.”
“I’m tired.” Ray confessed. “I’m going to lay down and sleep. Will you be here when I wake up?”
“Of course I will be; I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ray woke with an insatiable appetite. His eyes were dazed with a crazed look in them. “LET ME OUT OF HERE!” he shouted waking Rick who’d fallen asleep in the neighbouring cell.
“Ray, relax. You know we can’t let you out, for your own safety, you have to stay put.” Rick tried to soothe him.
“You can’t keep me in here mother fucker! Let me out or I’ll rip your fucking heart out.”
Ray was becoming anxious and felt like a caged animal.
Damon appeared from nowhere.
“What do you want? Unless you’ve come to unlock this fucking door, then fuck off to where you came from.”
“Drink the blood Ray, it will settle you.” Damon encouraged.
“FUCK YOU!” Ray shouted.
“Then it will all be over soon. The more energy you use in your distressed state the faster your end will come.” Damon spoke softly.
“Ray, baby, please drink.” Brandy’s voice came from her cell.
“Shut the fuck up whore.” He shouted back at her. “This is all your fucking fault, you bitch! If I get out of here I’m going to….”
“SILENCE!” Damon would not allow him to finish his threat.
Ray snatched up the bag of blood, his hunger getting too much for him to resist any longer, he bit the top of and begun scoffing into its contents. “There! Are you happy now mother-fucker? Now let me out of this pigpen and set me free.”
“I cannot set you free Ray, you’re not ready.”
“Who the fuck are you to decide that for me?” Ray was beginning to act rogue.
“Ray, please buddy. You have to calm down.” Rick said, as he got too close to the bars.
Ray reached out ignoring the silver that scored into his flesh and snatched Rick by the collar pulling him into the bars. “Let me out or I’ll finish this mother fucker!”
Damon unlocked the cell and entered compelling Ray to release his hold over Rick.
Rick stormed back down to the others. “Well I hope you’re all fucking proud of yourselves, cos you’ve created a goddam monster.” He left the building searching for fresh air.
Damon compelled Ray to close his eyes and sleep, then went down to consult with the council members.
“It gives me great sadness that Ray has not taken the change well. I’m afraid he is showing signs of turning rogue. In my experience, no vampire has ever been cured of it, or managed to harness the trait.”
“What does that mean exactly?” Pearce asked.
“It means he will either be imprisoned here for eternity or he will meet a fate much like that of the young Wes Moresby.”
“Now wait a cotton pickin’ minute.” Pearce said “I’ll not stand by after everything that boys been through, and let you fry him simply because he’s angry.”
“It will be a last resort, but I assure you, if a vampire is angry when he turns, it is unlikely his anger will subside. He will remain in a state of anger for eternity.” Damon explained.
* * * * *
Rick circled the block on foot, stomping his feet in frustration. He’d grown fond of Ray, and was going to miss his companionship. He was furious that the others had taken it upon themselves to turn their friend into a monster, he would have rather they told him he was dead.
Suddenly Rick felt like someone was watching him. He began to walk quicker as he headed back to the office. “Fear not my brother, I mean you no harm. I’m merely watching to see no harm comes to you.” he spun to see Dominic swoop down behind him.
“Your Damon’s brother.”
“And yours, since I have your blood in my veins too, we are connected for life, and I am here to serve as is the law.”
“PFFT… Fuck the law! Apparently it was only put in place for some of us to abide by.”
“I’m confused, my brother, what do you mean?” He asked.
“Go and ask your fucking Messiah, I’m sure he can come up with a thousand and one lies to explain why he’s allowed to break the law and others get to…what is it you guys say? ‘Meet the sun’ if they dare to break Damon’s so called ten fucking commandments.”
* * * * *
Dominic escorted Rick back to headquarters. He was anxious to discover what laws his brother had made, then broken, Rick wasn’t making any sense.
Damon took him to the top floor and explained what had transpired; he showed him to Ray’s cell to witness the growing rogue behaviour in him.
“What are you staring at mother fucker? Open this cage and I’ll pull your fucking eyes from their sockets and ram them up your ass for staring.” His rage was escalating.
Dominic paced back and forth in front of Rays cell. “I have seen this behaviour before, all is not lost, but we must work fast.”
“Brother, are you certain of this?” Damon asked.
“I am Damon. I know of a woman who practices the art of witchery. I’ve witnessed her expelling the worst of demons.”
“WITCHCRAFT! I will not have it brother, nor should you be associating with such sacrilege. I forbid it, it is against the law of Genesis.”
“Is it Damon? Genesis is gone; he left us to meet the sun. You are the Messiah now, isn’t i
t your laws we must obey. You yourself said it, ‘A new era.’ They were your words. We can change the path of religion and truly love thy neighbour.”
Damon thought for a moment. “This woman, you know her?” he asked.
“I do.”
“And your certain no harm will come to the boy or anyone else?”
“I give you my word in blood, but we must move fast, before the demon in him takes root.”
“Go, bring forth your witch.” Damon decided.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Dominic returned the following evening with a woman carrying herbs, charms and oils.
“Brother, this is Sarah. She’s come to save the boy.” Dominic introduced the stranger.
Damon greeted her at eye level, “I warn you witch, there will be no trickery or I will personally slice your chanting tongue out and tie your body to the highest of ant’s nests.”
Dominic stiffed by her side ready to step between them if she spoke her thoughts out loud. But her soft voice reached out. “I understand Messiah. I give you my word, I am here to serve. I mean you and your family no harm, for I too, dream of a new era.”
Dominic inwardly sighed with relief.
* * * * *
Sarah was provided with a large open space on the top floor, she drew a large circle using salt, as she poured the salt she chanted words foreign to any language that Damon was familiar with. “What are you saying witch?”
Dominic took his elbow, “She is praying to her fore-sisters for guidance, we must stay silent brother, she needs to concentrate; and if you wish to maintain her loyalty and mine, you will call her Sarah. After all she did not have to come; she is doing this as a favour, she deserves your respect for that at least. Do you not agree?”
Damon thought for a second before replying, “My apologies brother, my manners escape me, you are right. Forgive me?”
Sarah continued her chanting, while she lit five candles and strategically placed them at intervals around the circle, sitting them on large white stones. She raised her head to the ceiling and her eyes rolled backwards as she chanted louder. Then her eyes met Damon’s. He stepped back showing a slight sign of fear, Dominic braced him.
“I am ready to begin. Bring me the boy.” She said.
Damon looked at Dominic, who nodded his head with reassurance. “I will help you.” he told him.
A few minutes later they returned restraining Ray on either side, with him screaming and yelling at them to release him.
“Get your fucking hands of me cocksucker, or I’ll rip your flesh from your bones and feed it to the coyotes.”
He glared at Sarah. “Who the fuck is this slut?”
“Bring him into the circle then quickly step out, he will be safe inside its wall, but be careful not to break the boundaries on your entrance or exit.”
“Your fucking circle can’t hold me bitch. I’ll drag you in with me and fuck you where you stand.”
Dominic’s hackles went up, “Shut up fool! Or I’ll kill you myself for your insolence!”
Ray spun on his heels and went to lunge at Dominic, but landed inches inside the circle.
“What is this?” he asked. “Is this a trick?”
Sarah bundled up some herbs and tied them together with some fine twine. She lit them from the flame of the first candle and proceeded to rotate the circumference of the circle chanting and waving the smoke in towards Ray. It burnt his nostrils as he tried to escape its path.
“Stop! I’ll kill you, you bitch STOP!”
Ray tore his shirt to shreds as if it were toxic and backed away from the witch to the centre of the circle.
Sarah reached into a pocket in her apron and pulled out a fistful of powder. She blew it through the smoke of the smouldering herbs at Ray. When it floated through the air and landed on his flesh he squealed like an injured piglet and his flesh blistered at its contact. Damon was forced to look away briefly.
She repeated it from the opposite side of the circle. Then reached into another pocket and threw it over him. It smelled of ground ginger, but on contact the smell of burning flesh was distinguishably offensive.
Ray fell to his knees his head tilted back and his eyes rolled. Sarah entered the circle brandishing another large bundle of herbs. Damon stiffened with fear for her safety, but Dominic touched his shoulder reassuring him she knew what she was doing.
She wiped the switch across Rays back and his skin opened as if she were carving into him with a thousand blades. He loosed a blood curdling scream as she wiped it across his chest and his flesh tore open again. He was healing fast, but she continued ripping his flesh open until he collapsed on the floor and the switch no longer had any effect on him.
Sarah then took a knife from her apron and in one smooth action sliced it across her palm. Opening it allowing blood to pour freely from her wound. She trickled it over Rays broken body and it absorbed without a trace into his flesh. “Allow my blood to cleanse your soul. Let it chase the demon within away and expel it to the depths of hell. Free you mind Ray, and I will free you spirit.”
Ray began to convulse on the floor and blood oozed from his nose and ears, finally his body went limp, and Sarah exited the circle. Dominic raced to her aid, licking the wound on her palm and healing it in his tongues trail.
Sarah approached Damon, “He must sleep now; when he awakes we will know if the spell has been successful. I will stay with him, and if necessary I will repeat the ritual.”
Damon thanked her then requested that Dominic join him downstairs.
* * * * *
“Where did you meet her?” Damon asked.
“I have met many interesting people in my travels brother; Sarah is just one of them.”
“And Victor approved your relationship?”
“Who said anything about a relationship?” Dominic inquired, carefully guarding his words.
“Do you really think I am fooled by your charade? It is clear there is a past, and a present for that matter.”
Dominic lowered his eyes. “Victor was never aware of her existence, if he had known, he surely would have hunted her down and slaughtered her and her coven.”
“How did you hide it? Surely under his compulsion he would have discovered her.” asked Damon.
“I have worked tirelessly to gain Victor’s trust, because of that he rarely used compulsion to test my loyalty.”
“And when he did?” asked Damon.
“Sarah put a protection spell around me, whenever Victor tried to use his powers of telepathy, I simply boycotted them with the thoughts he wanted to believe.”
“You know the relationship must end?” Damon announced.
“NO! We have known one another for more than half a century; I will not lose her now on your say so. She has earned her right to my equal status.”
“Not yet she hasn’t, we do not know if she was successful or not.”
“The fact that she came here risking her life, and at least tried to save your fuck up, should be proof enough.” Dominic argued.
“You love her, don’t you?” Damon looked intrigued.
“With my heart in its entirety; Just as you are besotted with your Beth.” Dominic explained.
“Will you turn her?” Damon enquired.
“No, she has no desire to become a vampire or leave her coven.”
“Her coven? What do they make of this relationship? Do they even know of it?
“They do, I have watched over them for years, kept them safe and warned them of impending dangers. They were resistant at first, but now they know, I have their best interest at heart, and I am accepted as an honoured guest when I arrive to see my beloved Sarah.”
“I’m unsure what to make of this situation. Leave me to ponder on it.” Damon asked.
“Do not take too long to ‘ponder’ my brother, for if I am forced to choose, I will choose Sarah. You should be aware that she is the reason behind my return. I am here at her insistence.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
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br /> Ray woke up on the cold floor. He got to his feet feeling disorientated, his head turned in every direction scanning his surroundings. “Where am I?” he asked the woman sleeping on the floor across the room.
She sat up and looked at him suspiciously, not knowing if her chants were successful or not.
Hello Ray, my name is Sarah. Don’t be afraid. You are in no danger.”
“Why am I here? And what’s this circle around me for?” he went to step outside its circumference, but was blocked by an invisible wall. “What’s going on?” He asked.
“You were sick Raymond, I was brought here to cure you.”
“Sick? What was wrong with me?”
“Perhaps that is best left for your friends to explain. But for now, how do you feel?” Sarah asked, tilting her head with curiosity.
“Hungry, I feel hungry….wait? Brandy? We were…. I asked her to bite me.” He reached for his neck, but felt nothing, in fact his skin felt numb all over. The sensation that he was in contact with himself was there, but it was as if he were feeling through layers of plastic. His skin had no sensation at all. “I woke up…..oh god! It wasn’t a dream. I’m...I’m a…”
“Yes Raymond, you’re a vampire.”
Damon and Dominic returned carrying bags of blood. “You’re awake. I’ve brought you some food.” Damon said as he offered the bags into the circle.
Ray screwed his face up at the thought of drinking the contents. “You will grow fond of the taste. I promise.” Damon assured him.
Dominic also had some offerings, though his were in the form of a tossed salad and green tea for his female.
Ray put the bags on the floor and squatted with his head in his hands. “What happens next?” he asked.
“You will experience many changes.” Damon explained.
Suddenly Ray dropped to the floor holding his ears in agony.
“It will soon pass my son. It is just a police siren, you have heard many in your career, though now the sounds can be quite deafening. It will settle in a few days, but your hearing, sight and smell will be far more advanced that you ever would have imagined.”
