by Lari, Simone
Vans turned toward the building to his left: stationed up there at the top was Jared, with a large precision crossbow in his hand; behind him, guarding his back, was Katrina.
The fight broke out in the alley immediately.
While Christopher sank his katana into the cold and withered hearts of the enemies, Gabriel and Angelique fought side by side. Vans, instead, remained motionless, as if he were paralyzed, to watch his mother fight. No-one, in the noise of battle, took any notice of him.
It was only when he saw his mother break the neck of a young witch and rejoice enthusiastically, that he was stirred by an icy shiver that crept into him far deeper than his bones. It reached his heart, brushed his soul. At that moment he realized: his mother had indeed died ten years before. That thing was not her.
He sank the spike into the back of the closest vampire and then threw himself into the fray, heedless of his own safety.
In a short time the clash turned to the detriment of the vampires.
Martha saw that the situation was turning to the worse. She picked up an athame from the ground and hammered it into the breast of a vampire, precluded by the strategically placed druids waiting for them as the other survivors of her group began to flee.
"We’ve won, my son, we’ve won!" she exulted, kicking the body of the vampire with the athame nailed into him, a moment before he began to burn. "I’m free at last, thanks to you! Our trap worked."
He went to her, gave her a brief indecipherable smile and stared into her eyes, then kissed her on the forehead and held her to his chest. He held her tight, making her sink her face into his overcoat.
Martha smiled satisfied, certain that Vans had believed her once more. Then she realized how tightly he was holding her.
She began to lose her breath. She tried to free herself, but he kept her closed in that vigorous embrace. She tried to strike him and get away but Vans, calling on all his strength and fighting back the tears, did not let go.
A minute later, or what seemed like a century to him, Martha’s arms hung softly down her sides, her body weighing defenseless on her son’s.
Vans loosened his hold. He looked at the woman’s terrified open eyes. He closed them gently and just as gently deposited her on the ground.
"Now you are free, mother" he said.
And he began to weep.
Chapter 9 - A Contended Witch
Christopher had almost finished describing to Katrina what happened, while Ossian was informing Clarissa and Agata. Jared stood apart listening in silence keeping one eye always on his charges, Vans and Gabriel.
They were in a separate position on the side of the great hall, together with Angelique.
When Nina approached, her friend took Gabriel by the arm and let him away.
"Don’t you want to tell me what happened?" she asked her, timidly.
"If you get closer to the talkative druid, you’ll have the explanation you’re looking for," replied Vans, drily.
"I want to hear it from you. And I would also like to know why you were so adamant that I be excluded from the operation" she insisted, assuming a far more authoritative tone.
He shook his head, and she took hold of him to drag him to the side.
Vans was amazed at the strength of those slender arms.
"Speak! It is useless to keep everything to yourself: I want to know!"
"What do you want to know first, then?" he asked; his voice shook and betraying tears ran down his cheeks.
Speechless at his reaction, Nina did not know how to reply.
"Let’s see, where should I begin... my mother! Yes, the mother I thought was dead, but instead was a progeny at the service of the enemy" he revealed. "I wanted to believe her, in my heart I hoped I could believe her, but instead I should have known. I had to know that it was a fucking trap! And a small part of me was aware of this!"
He shook his head, smiling bitterly.
"You didn’t want me with you because you thought it was a trap? I have fought other times, I’m strong now and I could have helped you" she argued.
"I know that you are strong, but the idea of seeing you risking your life you every time kills me. And the thought that you saw me do certain things, things that... that I cannot even..." He threw himself into her arms, letting the tears flow. "I killed my mother" he whispered in her ear.
She felt a sudden quiver and the instinct to pull away from him, but repressed it and embraced him hard, realizing how things must have gone.
"It certainly wasn’t your mother, the creature you’ve put in peace."
"I knew. I knew that it could happen! I could not… I could not let you see me!"
Nina hugged him hard.
"I often tell Christopher that he is a monster, but then what have I become?"
The girl slowly moved away, loosening the embrace. She took his head in her hands and stared into his eyes.
"You are a splendid person, and ugly things have happened to you. You are a wonderful man who is forced to fight battles that many could not bear to do."
Slowly, Vans calmed down.
Nina put her lips on his.
He bowed his head.
"No, it is not the right time, I’m afraid."
She bent down a little searching for his eyes.
"If not now, when?"
She kissed him. As if in that crowded country house there were only the two of them; as if that night had not been bathed in blood and death; as if, from that very moment onwards, their whole life would be different, special. A normal life, just for them, thanks only to that kiss. All these promises and hopes were enclosed in that brief meeting of lips, frightened and desirous of comfort.
Christopher saw them and could not look away, an unbearable vision that caused him enormous pain.
In that instant which for them was hope, his old heart, already broken once, broke again.
Chapter 10 - Deception
"Hey, down there, we’re back!" announced Jared.
"Stop doing anything that might be embarrassing to see" Gabriel added.
"As far as I’m concerned you can carry on as you like" said Vans, sipping a beer.
Sting and Jude approached the three hunters. He scratched behind his left ear then, after looking at them for some instants, asked: "How was the umpteenth gathering?"
"That’s exactly what we need to talk about" said Jared.
"Sure, but not here. Ossian suspects that you’re hiding at our chalet, so it’s better if you move to a safer place. We have a place in mind that they don’t know about" Gabriel informed them.
"And that’s where you would like to take us?" asked Jude.
"I have a small apartment in the city" said Vans. "To tell the truth, it’s more a garage that I’ve set up as best I could, but it will be fine for a few days."
He slugged other beer.
Sting looked hard at the young hunter. "You know that I have very good hearing, don’t you?" he went on in an annoyed tone. The couple nodded. "Well, it’s been a good hour that Felix, your obese cat, has been meowing non-stop and driving us mad. He has just stopped, perhaps because he heard you arrive. Give him something to eat before he chews a paw."
"What’s it to you? We’re going anyway, so he won’t bother you any longer" Vans retorted, shrugging his shoulders.
"Yeah, we'll take care of him later" decided Gabriel.
Sting chuckled nervously.
"Hahaha, sure, what do I care about your stupid Felix...? Run!" he yelled to Jude.
He immediately let fly a jab that bounced Vans from the ground.
The boy’s face changed suddenly, as if he had suddenly taken off a mask.
"Vampires, of the clan... fuck, I don’t remember! Illusions are their power", he explained.
"I'm not going anywhere, I’m staying to give you a hand!" objected Jude, landing a powerful kick at the groin of the vampire that looked like Gabriel.
He bent over in half, but the third intervened and hit her with a violent backhand.
"Bastard!" yelled Sting.
His irises turned fire red and two long sharp fangs sprang from his lips.
Jude stared, terrified.
His muscles tensed pulsating, and his body shook with violent spasms.
In a few moments he increased in height and muscle mass. His clothes ripped apart and two long black bat wings sprang from his back.
The three vampires were shocked at the sight of that unexpected mutation.
They tried to flee, but he grabbed two of them by the head and smashed them against each other.
The third had almost reached the door when Sting picked up a chest filled with weapons and ammunition and threw it at the fugitive.
Crushed on the ground by the weight of the box, Sting went to him. He hurled him away and turned him over as if he were weightless and then sank his hand into his chest.
"Do-not-touch-my-woman!" he roared and crushed his heart, causing spontaneous combustion to commence.
Panting, the veins of his neck throbbing, he turned and met the astonished and troubled gaze of the young girl vampire.
Jude hurriedly gave him an awkward wave of her hand and a forced little smile.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"W-well... you know. Have you seen yourself?"
Sting looked at his hands; they were large with nails like claws, and then he looked at the rest of his body and his clothes torn to shreds.
"The Prophecy did not mention anything about all this," he said terrified.
Seeing how tormented he was, Jude picked up some courage and joined him. She embraced him, even though she couldn’t get her arms around him as she wanted to, he had increased so much in size.
"Whatever it was that happened to you, we’ll overcome it, together" she whispered to him and Sting’s breathing became more regular.
Some instants later the shaking of his body became slow and constant. His size decreased and with it his stature and muscle mass. The claws and canines returned to their usual length, the wings merged into his back and ribs; finally, his eyes resumed their usual color.
"Do you think something like that could happen to me?"
"I don’t, I don’t know what to say to you. Perhaps it is a mutation that only affects me, and not the vampires I create."
"I guess it’s another piece of news we don’t go around telling people about lightly" suggested Jude.
"I think it’s better to avoid it, at least for the moment" he confirmed.
"But who were those three vampires? And how the heck did you realize that they were in disguise?"
"Enemies... part of a disgusting clan that specializes in illusions. It was easy to unmask them: Jared was not surly enough, Gabriel not sufficiently prudish and Vans not brash enough. Beautiful costumes, but the roles were badly interpreted and the beer wasn’t the right brand" he commented as he looked at the miserable remains of the vampires.
"I understand, but the cat was a good idea" she said smiling, ruffling his red hair.
"Thanks. I have always been a misunderstood genius."
"Or maybe this story of the Prophecy and mutation has also raised your IQ." She peered at him, looking at him mischievously. "Hmm, I wonder what else that mutation has increased...."
"Very funny, do you want to find out?" He grabbed her, pulling her to him to claim a kiss and giving her a generous squeeze on the buttocks.
Chapter 11 - I Am The Chosen One
When the real hunters arrived with Christopher and Katrina, Nina and Angelique, Sting explained to them what had happened, omitting the part about the mutation.
The girls ran to meet their newly-found friend, missing a large part of the narration of events. They had a thousand questions to put to her, but the emotion of seeing her unscathed and full of vigor convinced them to put it off until later.
"And so I eliminated them, with the help of my beautiful girl, of course. And by beautiful I don’t mean the protagonist of that cheap novel, but my wonderful vampire-girl."
"You won’t get by this time with miserable quips. I know you’re skilled in combat, but having got the better in a clash of two against three, and considering that she has just been transformed and doesn’t yet know how to exploit her new talents, doesn’t add up for me. Furthermore, you don’t even have a scratch, and from your story the fight didn’t sound like it was a walk-over."
"What can I say? Maybe the Prophecy has given me the strength" he suggested, playing it down.
"You mustn’t make fun of me and your destiny in this way!" yelled Christopher. He grabbed hold of him and tried to lift him up to stick him to the wall, but didn’t succeed.
"My friend, it’s not a good idea to make me lose my patience. I understand that at this moment you are very troubled: the Prophecy was not about you." He glanced toward Nina, close to Vans’ side. "And you haven’t even been chosen by the contended dame."
Christopher, overcome by anger, let fly a punch. Sting intercepted it then, with a violent shove threw his friend against the opposite wall.
"Stop it!" thundered Katrina.
Sting’s eyes became red for a few short moments.
During the altercation, Jared noticed some garments sticking out from behind some covered crates. Taking a closer look, he saw that Sting’s clothes had been reduced to shreds.
"What are these torn clothes?"
"Mmm, I can explain" the vampire hastened to clarify.
"Hey, is that my sweater you’re wearing?" asked Gabriel.
"I was cold, I borrowed it" admitted Sting.
"Tell the truth, or being the Chosen One will not save your ass!" Vans burst out.
"Well, let’s say that being the vampire of Prophecy has some negligible side effects..."
"Everyone’s talking about this fucking Prophecy! Will someone at least decide to tell me what the heck it’s all about?" exploded Jared.
"At the dawn of the third millennium, during the Great War, a vampire, the only one of his kind able to resist the Teardrop, held in his hands the fate of the battle and the lives of many. His actions will go on to save his species on the brink of defeat" recited Angelique.
"The girl talks like a printed book" decided Sting.
"Perhaps it would be good if she knew the other prophecy as well, the one that speaks of Nina" remarked Angelique.
Gabriel invited her to declaim it and she didn’t refuse: "At the dawn of the third millennium, not before the tenth year and not later than the twentieth, she who bears the Symbol will lead a great battle. Death and destruction will follow her journey; the blood of men and parassites will mix at her feet, many combatants will fall for her sake before the end of the conflict."
Vans hugged Nina to his side. Christopher stole a glance at her.
"They’re just the words of old jinxes" Jude said, making light of it.
"I think we have already commented on the situation, haven’t we?" insisted Nina, annoyed. "We create our destiny by ourselves; prophecies may indicate a possible future, a likely destiny, but certainly not the only one. Knowing them, then, allows us to make it even more changeable."
"The fact is that says nothing about you, about your possible fate. I admit that this scares me a little" confessed Vans.
"He’s right" agreed Christopher bluntly.
Sting smiled in an almost imperceptible manner, happy that the group’s attention had moved elsewhere.
"The first prophecy, the one about the vampire who holds the outcomes of destiny, has come true though, given that Sting has withstood the power of the Teardrop and obtained considerable benefits" Gabriel suggested.
"Yes. When he gets angry he becomes unbeatable, and the sun does nothing to us" revealed Jude proudly.
Sting slammed his palm on his forehead.
"Darling, what happened to the confidentiality we spoke about before?"
"Sweetheart, they know now. I thought we could go into details" she justified herself, pretending to be ashamed.
Vampires and hunters were somewhat
astonished to hear this news.
"The sun does nothing to either of the two of you?" asked Katrina.
"This is not going to please those old druids, and I don’t like it much either" grumbled Jared.
"Do you realize what this means?" intervened Gabriel. "Sting could create a new breed of day-time vampires."
Vans took on an indecipherable expression and Katrina remarked: "That is why wanted to kidnap us. Our opponents know! They would have blackmailed you by exploiting her to trick you into creating new vampires from their progeny, or to make you take their side in the fight."
Sting sighed.
"This time I won’t get away with smart quips, eh?" He pulled Jude close to his side. "You must not have any fears about my loyalty to my house and our human allies. As long as my clan and my companions are with the humans, I will do the same."
Jude gave him a kick on the ankle and another to his ribs in quick succession.
"I will always be at your side in any case!" he rectified.
"I’ll make sure he does the right thing. And I won’t let him create other vampires. We’ll be a unique couple!" twittered Jude, winking.
But the irony with which she affronted the matter did not fully convince their companions.
"No-one is to speak about it. I’m not sure whether I have metabolized the thing, but certainly Ossian, and perhaps even your mother and your grandmother, would not like to hear this news" said Vans, addressing Nina.
"I trust my family, they have to know how things stand" the girl responded.
"But they could talk about it with their allies" hypothesized Jude. "I beg you, Nina, for the moment, don’t tell them the thing about the sun" she implored.
She gave a small smile and patted her friend’s face, finding it colder than usual.
"You ask me to hide an important fact from my family." She looked at Jude and Angelique, and then smiled. "But since you too are my family, for the moment I’ll keep this to myself."
The three girls embraced each other tenderly.
Chapter 12 – I Am Still the Same
