Curse of the Asuune

by Jr Steven Sterup

  “Ohhhh, who is this lucky boy?” Sarah teased.

  “He was definitely a man,” Kathrine replied, trying to hide a smile that was growing larger.

  “Hmmm, and what was this man’s name?” Sarah requested, she was intrigued.

  “Paul,” Kathrine said.

  Sarah got strangely quiet.

  “Where did you meet him?” Sarah asked desperately. She dreaded Kathrine’s response.

  “When I killed Sariel. He was the one that saved me. He carried me to dad. I’m not sure I would have made it out otherwise.” Kathrine saw the concerned look on Sarah’s face. “Why, what’s wrong?”

  “Just a second,” Sarah said anxiously as she walked over to one of her dressers and rummaged through it. Sarah tossed out several pictures and photo albums before she found what she was looking for. She got out an old faded and frayed picture and brought it back to the table. “Is this him?” Sarah asked as she set the picture in front of Kathrine.

  Kathrine started at the picture. The man had shorter hair and a beard but those eyes. She knew it was him. Her heart was racing and her stomach was doing flips. It was most certainly him.

  “Yes, that’s Paul,” Kathrine replied.

  “I’m very sorry, Kathrine. Paul is a very dangerous man. And what’s more he’s like your dad. His father was an angel and his mother a Nephilim. So he is extra dangerous.” Sarah looked at Kathrine with pity.

  “Why? You were able to quit being a vampire. I’m sure he can too,” Kathrine said with pure optimism.

  “I understand the desire to make him out to be redeemable but I just don’t think he is. Back before the great flood of Noah I knew Paul. He and I were friends,” Sarah started.

  “Did you sleep with him? Is that it?” Kathrine asked.

  “Oh, no, it’s not that. In fact until the day I met your father I was considered quite a prude. Sure I was flirtatious and fun-loving but I only had sex with men I was married to. Believe me, there weren’t many. It was only after I realized that your father loved your mother that I decided to drown my sorrows in sex.” Sarah half-smiled but Kathrine wasn’t in the mood anymore.

  “Then what?” Kathrine was desperate. So much so that Sarah knew Paul might actually be Kathrine’s chosen one.

  “My dear, I don’t say this to hurt you. I understand what it feels like. Paul and I decided to try and survive the flood together in a small boat. We were both vampires. What was a little water going to do? We couldn’t die from drowning.” Sarah paused and looked like she was remembering something distasteful. “You have no idea how bad drowning is until you do it over and over again for forty days. Well, anyway, Paul and I both begged God to spare us. We vowed to give up drinking blood and do his work for the rest of eternity. We pledged ourselves to him and groveled for his mercy. Two days later that mercy came. We found land. Paul and I kept our promise, at first. Then Paul’s father found us. Azazel, that fowl angel, took Paul away and left me beaten and bloody. I didn’t see Paul again until this century. It was during World War II. I was smuggling refugees out of Poland and I found Paul and Azazel. They were smuggling weapons into Germany. They were trying to make the war go on as long as possible by bolstering Germany’s arsenal.”

  “That can’t be the man I met,” Kathrine struggled with the idea that Paul just might be the man Sarah described.

  “It gets worse. Azazel recognized me and ordered Paul to kill me. Paul chased me for a mile at least. Eventually Paul caught me, with Azazel not far behind him. Paul and I fought, he got several good hits on me but in the end he made a mistake. He led with the wrong leg while thrusting his blade and I stabbed him through it then I ran, knowing he could no longer keep up. So if this Paul is the same Paul, he is not to be trusted. He is his father’s servant and Azazel is the most cruel of the fallen angels, except for Lucifer.” Sarah finished her story and looked at Kathrine with sorrow.

  “It can’t be the same man. The Paul I met was kind and cared for me. He could have killed me, I passed out, but instead he saved me.” Kathrine wanted to believe that it was a different Paul but the picture of him made it clear that it wasn’t. Maybe he had changed, maybe seeing her made him want to be good? Maybe she was fooling herself?

  “I really hope it’s not him. This will have to wait. You need a lot of training and a lot of knowledge on vampires. You might eventually find him, but if he was with Sariel, he is a vampire. You need to know how to protect yourself in case it was the Paul I knew. I can’t lose you Katie, your dad wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he lost you. You are very important to us. I know what you’re thinking and you know better,” Sarah scolded “It’s not because God chose you to help us in this war, it’s you. We love you.”

  “Ok, I guess you’re right. I do need to know what I’m doing. I mean one vampire got a lucky shot in a very unlucky place and I’m down for the count. I really need some practice fighting with swords. That’s not something you learn in the FBI’s self-defense classes.” Kathrine smiled at Sarah. “And let’s not tell dad about this, please. He’s happy for the first time in a long while. I want him to be happy.”

  “Ok, it’ll be our secret. But promise me one thing. Don’t go acting like some naïve school girl, chase after him and get killed, ok?” Sarah added.

  “I promise I won’t go chasing after him and get killed,” Kathrine said crossing her heart.

  “Ok, I will hold you to that.” Sarah paused for a second and a devious look came across her face. “So, why don’t you come over for supper?” Sarah asked with a smirk.

  “What do you mean? I’ll already be there,” Kathrine replied.

  “No, this is your house now. So why don’t you come over to our house for supper?” Sarah’s smile was even wider now.

  “Ok, I will, as long as dad grills steak,” Kathrine said going along with Sarah.

  “You know I want steak,” Sarah added.

  “Then I guess we’re having steak. No way dad can refuse both of us.” Kathrine stood up and walked over to Sarah. “Let’s break the news to the old man. He’s making us steak!”

  Sarah nodded her head and then headed to the door with Kathrine.

  “Shit, I better get some clothes on. Agnus will have an aneurism if she sees me walking down the side walk in this.” Sarah twirled around and then headed back to her bedroom.

  The night went well. Sarah, Kathrine and Mark talked most of the night about Jennifer. They all had stories to share and silly anecdotes about Jennifer’s life. There was crying and laughing and tons of hugging. In the end Kathrine excused herself, grabbed her things, which she had very little of and went to Sarah’s house. When she was sure that Sarah and her father were busy she grabbed what she had and headed toward the nearest town. She needed to know if Paul was really her one. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, she remembered how he smelled and the feeling when she looked into his eyes and his touch…how could a simple touch feel so good? She needed to know or she thought she might go crazy. Within a few hours she had made it to a bus stop and bought the next ticket out.

  Chapter 21

  Kathrine felt bad, she hadn’t exactly lied to Sarah but the deception made her feel guilty. She figured if she didn’t get killed she was keeping her promise. In the end she knew it was a shitty rationalization. She had traveled by bus to a corner a few blocks from where Samael’s office was. Perhaps she could find some clues there and find out where Paul had gone. Maybe he was still nearby.

  After hours of searching and a few vampire beheadings she found a vampire that knew about Paul. This vampire, scared for his life, told her everything she needed to know. Paul was working on a dock, strangely enough, in Oregon. He had apparently been there for years, right next to Kathrine while she was staying with her foster parents. How strange that he had been no more than fifty or sixty miles away from her as she struggled with her new life. Kathrine had promised to spare this vampire’s life so in exchange for information so after he finished she let him go with a warning
to quit drinking blood or next time she would kill him. She stole a car and in a few hours, she was in Oregon. The vampire had told her that Paul was part of the crew aboard a boat named ‘The Flaming Foal’. A very odd name for a boat but it made for an easy target to track.

  The dock Paul worked at was also easy to find. Kathrine was cautious. She walked by the boat a few times during the day and saw many workers on the huge boat. The only other person she saw besides the vampires was a hooded man in a trench coat that had accidently bumped into her when she was preoccupied by the boat’s inhabitants. The breeze carried their scent like a garbage barge, they were almost all vampires. This was the right boat and Sarah might be right about Paul. Despite this revelation Kathrine needed to know for sure. She hadn’t seen Paul on the boat but a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that he was nearby. In the end Kathrine decided that it was easier to sneak around at night. These were not the vampires of legend. They had no special night powers and they had no way to see in the dark.

  When Kathrine came back to the boat it was nearly two in the morning. It looked like most of the vampires were gone or sleeping. The stench was still in the air so some had to be close. Kathrine assumed that many sailors probably slept on the enormous boat. Even so, it was better than walking up to them in broad daylight.

  Kathrine crept along between the shipping containers. She had worn all black, even her pants were black this time. She was not going to get caught, she just needed answers. In the event that she was caught she had brought her father’s sword, if you can call a foot long blade a sword. Even though it may have not been a full sword it did have many good qualities. It was titanium for one, so it wouldn’t break. It was also small enough that it didn’t get in the way.

  When she neared the boat she noticed only two guards pacing around the deck. This might be easier than she thought, but where was Paul? She still felt him close by, but where was he? She couldn’t go into the boat, that would be a sure fire way to get trapped. Maybe she could find a secluded spot and wait for him to come out?

  Slowly Kathrine climbed up the mooring ropes and on to the deck. There were a few boxes scattered here and there, just enough to give her cover while she evaded the guards. Carefully she made her way to the center of the boat but still there was no sign of Paul and no place to really hide for very long. The boat swayed and Kathrine realized, she was not meant to be a sailor. All these abilities and strength and she felt sea sick. How funny was that?

  Someone grabbed Kathrine from behind as she knelt trying to calm her stomach. Kathrine instinctively drew her blade and aimed for the man’s throat. Her swing was interrupted midway by Paul’s hand. He grabbed her wrist softly but firmly, he didn’t want to hurt her. Kathrine’s stomach swayed once more but this time it was Paul’s deep blue eyes that were the cause and it felt wonderful.

  “I knew I felt you. You shouldn’t be here.” Paul looked at her with kindness.

  “Intruder!” One of the guards had come around the corner at the wrong time.

  Paul reacted immediately. He threw Kathrine to the ground and grabbed the guard by the throat.

  “I’ve been watching her sneak around you for the last five minutes!” Paul yelled.

  “I’m sorry, sir.” The guard seemed like he was afraid for his life. Maybe this was the same Paul that Sarah had known.

  “Who is it Paul? One of them?” a large and commanding man said from above Kathrine. The man looked important and a good deal like her father had described Samael. He had long white hair, silver cold eyes and his skin looked rough.

  “Yes, father. It’s one of the traitors, come to spy on us,” Paul said as he looked down on Kathrine with hatred.

  What had happened to his kind face? He now looked like he was going to kill Kathrine and she was afraid.

  “Kill her and be done with it!” Azazel commanded.

  “I want to have a little fun with her first, see what they know about our operation,” Paul said evilly.

  “Good call, torture her first. Just make sure you kill her. Not like that red head you let slip away.” Azazel said spitefully.

  “I did not let her go!” Paul yelled at his father. “That girl was well trained. I’ve never fought someone that good.” Paul looked down at Kathrine as he spoke to his father and she could swear that he was trying to tell her something. With his eyes he was looking at her then her sword but Kathrine didn’t quite understand.

  Paul walked over to the guard that he had chastised and then put his hand in his jacket pocket.

  “Here is what we do to our own kind that betray us.” Paul removed a bottle from his pocket, then put on his gloves before opening it. “You see, not all of the vampire legends are false.” He removed the lid carefully then splashed some on the vampire who screamed in agony as the liquid ate through his skin. “A simple solution of holy water and silver dust. Each on its own does nothing, the combination is considerably painful.” Paul again looked at Kathrine with wide eyes. He was trying to get her to pay attention.

  “Fine, torture me, I’ll tell you nothing.” Kathrine was catching on.

  As Paul put the bottle away he took off one of his gloves and then when Azazel couldn’t see, he poured a little onto his hand. He looked at Kathrine hoping she would get the hint. Kathrine smiled at him, she couldn’t help it. He wasn’t a vampire and he hadn’t betrayed Sarah. Paul drew his sword and Kathrine jumped for hers. Paul was trying to give her a chance to escape.

  “Let’s see how good you are.” Paul lunged at her as soon as he was sure she was ready.

  Kathrine parried the first blow then the second, slowly making her way to the front of the boat. Now she understood why she was feeling sea sick. They had taken off and the boat was nearly a hundred feet from shore already.

  “Fight back,” Paul whispered.

  “Just kill her, Paul! She isn’t going to talk!” Azazel shouted.

  “Yes, father!” Paul shouted back. He raised his eyebrows hoping Kathrine would fight him.

  Kathrine finally got the hint and started attacking. Paul got a shot on her arm that left a small cut. Then Kathrine sliced his arm and he reeled back.

  “Tell Ceralin, the truth is in the picture,” Paul whispered as he thrust forward.

  Paul flourished a little too much and left his side open. Kathrine stabbed him in the ribs but only put the sword in about an inch. She didn’t want to actually hurt him. Paul fell to his side, holding the wound that probably didn’t even hurt. Kathrine ran to the railing and jumped. The vampires opened fire on her with their guns. They were not the best shots but they didn’t need to be. One shot hit Kathrine in the leg another in the shoulder before she hit the water.

  “I told you these would come in handy. There is no reason vampires shouldn’t have modern weapons. It can’t kill them as easily as a human but they do serious damage,” Azazel decreed, full of pride. “Now you four, go after her! The rest of you keep shooting!”

  Bullets riddled the water around Kathrine and another one hit her left arm then another tore across her temple. She needed to go deeper. She remembered what Sarah said. She couldn’t be killed by drowning. Kathrine forced herself to go lower even though her breath was running out. The water was very deep and her lungs felt like they were going to burst but she finally found an old fishing net. She quickly lodged her foot in the net, exhaled all her breath then waited.

  The vampires searched for ten minutes before giving up. Kathrine had drown twice by the time they finally left. The cold water burned her lungs as she regained consciousness a third time and she freed her foot from the net. Before she could reach the surface she passed out again. When she woke the fourth time she had washed up on shore. How horrible it was to drown, the terror, the salt water burning your lungs, the pain all over your body as it was forced back to life. Kathrine knew what Sarah had felt now. If she had been made to do that for days on end Kathrine thought she surely would have gone mad.

  Kathrine crawled across the beac
h, her car was parked outside the dock. The bone in her leg had been broken from the gunshot and she couldn’t feel her right arm. She wasn’t going to make it to the car like this, let alone drive it. She forced herself against a shipping container and tore the cloth from her right shoulder. Then she removed her belt and put it between her teeth. This was going to hurt, maybe as bad as drowning.

  Kathrine dug her fingers into the shoulder wound, searching for the bullet. She screamed through her teeth as she bit down on the belt. She had been wrong, this was way more painful than drowning. She felt the bullet and struggled to pull it out but the pain made her let go.

  “At least the pain is keeping me awake,” She thought to herself.

  Kathrine tried again, got a good grip on the bullet and pulled as hard as she could. Again she screamed in pain but it was muffled by the belt. When the bullet was finally out she fell against the container and passed out. Kathrine woke a few minutes later, the pain in her leg was getting stronger. The bullet was still in there but she couldn’t get it herself. She couldn’t do that again. At least she had removed the one in her shoulder, she could feel her arm again. Slowly she crawled toward her car and after nearly ten minutes of agony she finally made it.

  Once in the car she knew she needed to stay awake. Passing out behind the wheel would only make this worse. She would end up in a hospital where someone would realize that she should be dead. They would poke and prod her and eventually turn her over to some military organization for testing. No, she wasn’t about to let that happen. Kathrine wrapped the belt around her left leg, right above the gunshot and tightened it. She didn’t want a tourniquet she wanted pain. It was a six hour drive home, the only place she would be safe. She searched the car and found some pepper spray. Whoever she had stolen this car from must have been a woman. Men don’t usually keep pepper spray in their glove boxes but thankfully it was there. She started up the car and sprayed some of the pepper spray into the wound on her shoulder. The pain was incredible, at first she couldn’t see through it but in a few seconds her vision cleared she was wide awake and able to drive.