Black Hellebore

by Maya Shepherd

  “Chasity don’t!” She warned her mistress.

  “Claudia, hold your tongue, it is my decision to make!”

  “You will help me? You will send a doctor to my mother?” Orlando asked hopefully and turned his tear-covered face towards her. His chest swelled with confidence.

  “No, not a doctor, something better; I will give her the gift of eternal life and you can share eternity with your mother if you wish.”

  His eyes opened wide. He didn’t understand what she was saying, but in the same moment, her head was by his shoulder. Her cold breath blew on his dirty skin, and as her cold lips delicately touched him, a shiver ran through his body. Was his cousin trying to seduce him? The thought hit him like a bolt of lightning; painful and horrid at the same time. Her sharp teeth dug deep into his flesh and the blood started squirting out of the wound like it had with the animals in the tannery. He gasped for air and tried to fight against her strong grip, while he became weaker and weaker as she continued. His legs collapsed beneath him and his heart was beating slower every second. He grabbed his chest in pain as his heart beat for the last time.

  For a short moment, his world was in darkness, but in the next moment a light appeared, in which his worried cousin’s face appeared.

  “Orlando. Can you hear me? Please calm yourself, everything will be ok! You are not in any danger, and never will be again.”

  A sugary sweet liquid touched his lips. He greedily sucked on the liquid, which was then pulled away from him with a jolt. He tore his eyes open.

  His cousin was holding her wrist over him, which was bleeding terribly but in seeconds the wound healed as he watched. He touched his lips with his dirty fingers, and when he pulled them back to see, they were red.

  “What have you done to me?” He choked out in desperation and hit against his chest, as if trying to force a heartbeat.

  “I have taken your life, and in exchange given you another, full of unlimited possibilities.”

  She snapped her fingers, and a young red-headed girl stepped forward from behind Claudia. Her slim nose was covered in freckles and she looked at him with big round shy brown eyes.

  “Are you thirsty my lord?” She asked timidly as she bent down towards him. ‘My lord’?

  “I am not a lord nor am I a sir. What is going on here?” He growled contrarily as he looked questioningly from Chasity to the little girl.

  “You are my cousin! You are my family! You are a Moundrell!” Chasity explained joyously and took the little girl by the hand, leading her into Orlando’s arms. “Drink!”

  He neck was bare and he could see the blood running through her veins. His mouth watered, but he reluctantly shook his head.

  “No!”

  “It won’t hurt me my lord” the little redhead assured him with a little smile on her face, but Orlando fought agains the thought.

  “You must drink so that you can learn to control your thirst. Always just little sips, or else you will kill them.”

  “I will not drink blood!”

  “You must!”

  “Why? Will I die otherwise? Then I welcome death with open arms!”

  “You won’t die, but sooner or later the thirst will consume you and you will kill mercilessly and without any discretion.”

  Orlando steps back, his eyes wide in shock and disgust. He shakes his head over and over again.

  “You will understand soon enough”, Chasity smiles. “Go to your mother and give her your blood like I have given you mine. It will free her from all her pain and you can be together forever. She will never leave your side. We are immortal.”

  Her words seemed unbelievable. If she was telling the truth, then his mother would never have to buy anything again. They could steal it from the rich and lead a good life. Maybe they would buy a small farm with some animals that Orlando could run with his wife.

  He took one last look at the three women before he started running. He ran faster than he ever had before in all his life. His feet barely touched the ground. The forest no longer instilled fear in him, instead it felt very kind and familiar. He was easily able to make out the outlines of the trees as he sped through them like a shadow.

  His journey to Warwick had taken him over two days, but the return trip took only a few short hours. He stumbled into his mother’s small hut, just as day was starting to break on the horizon.

  She lay there still, her ribcage rising and sinking rhythmically. Her skin looked sunken in and an ashy colour. The hives had spread to her hands and made them swell and look huge and bulbous. He carefully stroked her almost transluscent skin on her arms and kissed her forehead.

  Her eyelids began to flutter.

  “Orlando my son, have you returned to me?”

  “Yes mother, I am at your side and will never leave you again as long as I live.” He gently promised her and wiped the blonde hair from her face. His fingers stroked the pulsing vein on her neck as they seized up. So much blood...

  He bent down to her like he had done so many times before and rested his head on her shoulder. He always used to do that when he was a child and couldn’t sleep. Her scent of fresh peaches calmed him. When he closed his eyes, he could see the white blossoms of spring. He eagerly bit into her.

  The liquid spread sweetly throughout his mouth. Her flesh was warm and gave him goosebumps. It tasted delicious and tickled his gums.

  When he finally opened his eyes, he felt nothing but despair and disgust. Her eyes were open wide and turned to stone. Her mouth was open in silent protest, and her hand had wrapped itself around his. Dark blood was running from her throat and dripped onto the bed sheet.

  He swallowed and began to shake her.

  “Mother, wake up. Mother!” He shouted in despair, but she lay there motionless. He pulled her up into his arms like a newborn. When he bit into his wrist, he tore half the flesh away and a thick stream of blood started pouring into her lifeless mouth, but it just poured out and over her plain blue dress. It was too late. He had killed his mother.

  It is impossible. Liandra is nothing but a human, and her going up against the entire vampire clan was unthinkable. Her blood smelled stronger than most other people’s, making it easy for even a blind vampire to find her. But the more he thinks about it, the more he clings to the hope that she might still be alive. She is not like other humans. Her blood is undrinkable and she may actually be possessed by some kind of demon. Orlando has ever experienced anything like her apparent demonic possession. Most demons that Orlando has come across in his long life were not supernatural beings at all – they were the manifestations of the cruelty and greed of humanity itself.

  No new reach his lonely cell, and when the guards change, they are quiet as gravediggers. It is however a surprise to him that Chasity hasn’t shown her face since he was captured. They are probably not going to let Mary see him, but Chasity is the queen, she can say and do what she pleases. Did he really hurt her that much with his disobedience that she now won’t see him at all? Honestly, he would even be happy to see Claudia right now. She would probably let a few details slip to him in her anger. Victor was his only visitor til now, but the only answer Orlando got to any of his questions was a triumphant, self-satisfied grin. He could have just let it be. But if no one will speak to him, then Orlando knows that something strange is going on. On the night of his arrest there was no sound but the murmuring of the guards, and then a blood-curdling scream spread through the entire estate. He couldn’t tell who or where it came from, but it had a certain power that intrigued him. The guards all left him alone and ran to the upper floor of the estate. After some time, Orlando thought he was going insane, as he felt something that reminded him of his own heart beating. When the guards returned to the dungeon, they were all in uproar, only falling silent as they reached Orlando’s cell, ignoring his questions once again.

  Just at that moment, a young vampire bursts into the dungeon.

  “Come quick, he is speaking to us again!” she calls in excitement and
runs out again. Without any hesitation, the guards make haste to follow her out, leaving him on his own. This is the perfect opportunity to escape, but without a key, not even a vampire can escape a locked cell. A shadow moves across the floor followed by silent footsteps. Red curls appear from behind the wall; Mary. As happy as he is to see her, he also worries about the little rascal.

  “What are you doing here? Did they say you could visit me?”

  “Of course not, but now is the perfect opportumity, they won’t be back for a while.” She explains with a grin on her face while she pushes a chair to the wall where the cell key is hanging out of her reach.

  “What is going on up there?”

  “Cain is free.” The keyring clangs and jingles as Mary lifts it off the wall, and Orlando stares at her in disbelief.

  “He is here?!” he asks dumbfounded.

  “Of course not silly, but he is speaking to us through Vivienne. It’s really creepy.”

  As she goes to stick the key in the lock, Orlando grabs her hand

  “Don’t do it. They will know it was you.”

  “But they are sentencing you for something you didn’t even do. It was me.”

  “What are you talking about?” He asks, still holding her little hand in his.

  “They think that you gave Liandra your blood and turned her,” Mary explains, looking guiltily into his eyes.

  Orlando is stunned. “You did WHAT?!”

  “She was half dead when I found her, what was I supposed to do?” Mary says in despair and tears her hand away from his. She sticks the key in and turns it, while Orlando’s stomach turns with it.

  “How is she now?” He could never have imagined this turn of events in his wildest dreams. What was this child thinking? Especially if Lia is out there all by herself now; there is nothing worse than a newly turned vampire. She won’t understand the world anymore.

  “That is the problem. I can’t find her anywhere.” Mary opens the cell and looks up at Orlando worriedly.

  “You have a better nose than anyone else. How will I be able to find her?”

  “Maybe you won’t need to look for her, and she will come to you.” There is a sort of childish hope in her little red eyes. Touched by it all, Orlando pulls his little adopted daughter to him and hugs her tightly. He is more a man of action than a man of words. He could count on his fingers the amount of times he has cried in his life, and yet, he can feel his eyes watering.

  “Why?” he whispers into her soft hair.

  “Because I love you and want you to be happy. You have a chance to have love, and I don’t. Take advantage of it for me.” There has been no accusation in her voice for the longest time, ever since she came to terms with her fate, but still it breaks Orlando’s heart every time. Ever since he turned her, he has always had doubts as to whether it was the right decision or not. She was rarely happy, but still she loved him from the very beginning. He kisses her on the forehead and then releases his grip.

  “Thank you Mary. I promise you that I will come back in time. I will not let them hurt you.”

  “I trust you.” Is all that she says before Orlando takes advantage of the opportunity she has given him and slips out the back door of the estate.

  Twilight is just setting in but there is no moon tonight. The stars are obscured behind heavy rain clouds. He runs as fast as he can and still he thinks he can hear the screams coming from the estate behind him. Only the hope that his fear is playing games with his head gives him the conviction to keep running. He must find Lia, or else her immortal life will be short-lived. Young vampires are driven by their bloodlust. If they are not brought under control in the early stages, then they become a danger to themselves and everyone around them. He asks himself who it was that bit her and how they are doing now. Is her blood poisonous to the others too? Was it Chasity?

  He cannot smell strawberries, only the plants, mud, rain and the animals of the forest. Hopefully she didn’t go into the city. If anyone finds out what she is before shooting her or killing her in some other way, then the rest of the vampires will have to go into deeper hiding than ever before. Humans are not open-minded towards creatures like him, least of all when they find themselves as the main source of food.

  A strong animalistic smell of blood and entrails wafts past him. It is the smell of large, predatory animals that would never make contact with humans. He would expect a smell like that in the jungle of the Amazon, or in the deep wilderness of Canada, but it is highly out of place here. The source of the smell must be close. Orlando carefully steps across the wet leaves which rustle loudly under his feet, making a squishy wet sound. He turns on his heel in a full circle, but doesn’t see anything unusual. A single movement in the corner of his eye makes him jump to the side in fright. High up on a thick branch he sees a creature perched, cowering in the shadows, and he is unable to see whether it is human or animal. He recognises her by her glowing green eyes. They are ice cold and staring at him. It is his Liandra. She is naked and her skin covered in brown dirt, as blood drips from her mouth. She is holding a shredded piece of meat in her hands that may have been a fox at some point. Her hair is a wild mess and leaves are sticking out of it, but the look in her eyes is uncertain at best. She stares at him completely motionless, and seeming to not recognise him. She carelessly lets her spoils fall to the ground and licks her lips. In a single swift movement, she jumps from the probably ten foot high branch and lands like a cat on her feet right in front of him. Her eyes fix on him while she tilts her head to the side. She smells him like an animal would. There is fear in this action. Orlando has never experienced anything like this before. Lia is neither human nor vampire. She is a monster.

  - 24. Lia Green -

  His strong pulsating life force lures her in, but the closer she gets to him, the more she recognises his scent; snow, and damp burning wood. He seems so familiar yet so strange at the same time. She knows that she recognises the smell, but she just can’t remember from where. It’s on the tip of her tongue but she just can’t remember.

  “Drink!” the voice whispers in her head again. It has been saying nothing else for days and it makes her tear out one animal’s throat after another, but nothing satiates her hunger. She is never satisfied, she is never full.

  “This one is stronger...” even his pulsing life-force reminds her of something.

  The man’s sky-blue eyes search for hers.

  “Liandra!” he says softly and his voice is like music to her ears. It reaches deep into her soul, spreading like wildfire. That is what she had forgotten. She forgot who she was before this monster was let loose from inside her. Her name is Liandra. It is the name of the person who is dying a little more each day. As long as she can remember herself, she will know who Orlando is. She is embarrassed for a moment about her outward appearance and sinks her head in shame, and her back rises and falls as she sobs.

  “My daughter doesn’t cry!” the voice suddenly shouts in her head, but Lia just shakes her head while Orlando stands and watches her with hesitation. When she lifts her head, he notices the change almost instantly. The cold emerald colour has gone from her eyes and has been replaced by a matte green. Monsters might not cry, but humans do. He slowly stretches his arm out towards hers, and as it hovers in the air for a moment, the gesture alone is too much for Lia to handle. It is more than she could ever have hoped for. It is once again him who is saving her from hell. He is the one who gives her the air she needs to breathe, when she believes she is already dead. As their hands touch, the voice in her head goes silent. It knows it has lost, at least for now. Orlando takes a step towards her and places his hands on her cold, dirty and tear-stained cheeks. Suddenly it is his skin that feels warm and leaves a lovely tingling sensation on her skin. His eyes are full of compassion and Lia’s throat closes up in happiness.

  “I am so sorry, my little black hellebore”, is all that he can manage to whisper as he places his lips gently and comfortingly on hers. He no longer cares about her a
ppearance, he knows he is in love with the girl inside. The dirt and blood mean nothing as long as it is Lia that lives inside this shell, as weak as she may seem. For the first time, his lips are warm and soft, while Lia’s on the other hand are trembling and brittle. The thought that there is someone who loves her despite everything that has happened, gives her strength. All she wants right now is for Orlando to never leave her again.

  She doesn’t want to let his hand go for even a second. She can be herself around Orlando, free from any compulsion or voices that tell her what to do. Even though she can feel every cut and bruise now, and every step feels like a chore, she would rather feel the pain than become the submissive monster that she was before.

  The moon peeks out from behind the clouds and is reflected in the dark-green lake. The snow has melted and the ice has broken, the only remaining bits of winter are hanging on the edges. Her toes dig down into the icy mud. The cold is getting to her and her whole body feels numb. They barely speak a word to each other, but that’s how it’s always been and probably will always be. The normality of it all makes her feel calm. Why do they need words when their hearts already beat to the same rhythm?

  The water gently ripples around her naked body as she wades through the frosty wetness. As she washes the dirt and blood from her skin, she has the feeling that she is cleansing her soul at the same time. The water tingles and doesn’t feel half as cold as it should. When she ducks her head under and the darkness surrounds her, she feels like she can finally breathe again. The air that she inhales afterwards feels like its bringing new life into her broken body. With a small smirk on her lips, she turns around to face the harbour. Orlando is standing there as if chiselled from stone. His beauty takes her breath away, but his forehead looks like it is creased with worry. It is time for him to laugh again. She knows that he can, because on their first date he laughed a lot.

  “Are you scared to come in here?!” she jokes with him as if nothing had happened.

  He narrows his eyes suspiciously, but remains still.