by Storm Savage
Kohl denied the need for sleep and rode with Alaric to his home not far away. The place carried an eerie air, making him realize why his friend spent very little time here. The house definitely gave off vibes that would make a superstitious person uncomfortable. Kohl didn’t believe in ghosts, witchcraft, or anything paranormal. His entire belief system was based on logic and fact. If he couldn’t back up the myths with concrete evidence then they remained just that—a myth. And until someone or something proved him wrong, he wasn’t about to let a little spooky ambiance get in his way of possibly unveiling information about his rare find.
“Here you go.” Alaric plopped a wooden chest about two feet square on the floor. A cloud of dust puffed up around it. “I’m going into town to meet with the insurance agent and pick up groceries. Do you want anything?”
“More of those steaks would be nice.” Kohl flashed him a pleading smile.
“No problem.” Alaric shifted his weight. Anxiety flitted through his eyes. “Hey… you don’t mind if I crash at your place again, do ya?”
“You’re welcome anytime, you know that. My home is your home.” He glanced around the dreary abode. “I don’t blame you for not staying here, feels kind of—”
“Creepy?”
“Well…yeah, I guess that fits.”
Alaric pointed at the chest with a comical expression plastered on his face. “I told you, man, my grandmother was into scary shit. Don’t be bringing anything from that chest home with you.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll put everything back when I’m done,” Kohl said, waving him off. “Go run your errands, and don’t forget to come back and get me. I don’t want to spend the night here.”
“Ha! You do believe me.”
“Nooo…” Kohl rolled his eyes and laughed. “It’s just not a very inviting atmosphere.”
“Uh-huh, say what you want but you feel it, too. I’ll be back in couple hours. Don’t open that box until I’m out of here…happy reading.”
Kohl shook his head and grinned while watching his friend pull from the drive. Whatever tales his grandmother had told sure left an impression on the man for him to react so dramatically. He turned back toward the chest, walked to the couch and plopped down on the worn green cushion. Carefully, he opened the wooden box. Right on top of the contents lay a crucifix attached to a tarnished silver chain. Kohl shrugged off the uneasy feeling that crept up his spine.
It seemed that whoever sealed this crate wanted to make sure it stayed sealed.
He hesitated for a moment over digging into the stack of letters and photos. Forcing the rising apprehension aside, he moved the crucifix aside, but left it inside the crate. He began gently sorting through the faded envelopes, carefully unfolding the brittle yellowed pages and skimming over them. Most were love letters written back and forth during wartime between people he assumed must’ve been generations of Alaric’s ancestors.
At the bottom of the box lay a notebook, bound in soft weathered leather and tied shut with leather ties. Delicately, he loosened the ties, opened the book, and began to read. Bull’s-eye! Written by a woman named Alice Basset, the first entry was dated 1910 and titled The Castle. Kohl assumed the author must’ve been a great, great grandmother, since she carried the same last name as Alaric.
I saw the vampires swooping out from under the bluff today. They come out only at night. The townspeople lock their doors at sunset. We are all afraid. Our castle overlooks the great river. We are forbidden to explore the caves below the cliff. Police have found bodies drained of blood at the base of the ravine. They say the attacks are from wild animals but we who live here on the ridge know the truth. All of the victims wash ashore with puncture marks in their necks, shoulders, or thighs. Father has gathered a team of hunters. They are devising a plan on how to rid our town of the cursed monsters.
“Vampires?” Kohl muttered aloud in disbelief. He turned the pages, reading quickly about more stories of vampire sightings and the slow death of an entire community. Several chapters into the book he came upon a new subject matter. It was dated 1912 and titled Shasta Realm. Kohl felt the air in the room grow cold as he began to read.
My grandparents are dead, killed by the bloodsucking beasts that still lurk in the caverns below the cliff. Today I can barely write through the tears in my eyes. Father almost died while trying to destroy one of the vampires. He is more determined than ever to destroy the evil creatures. Fortunately, he was not bitten, but he did fall off the cliff in his attempt to escape. He told Mother and me about his experience with death. Father spoke of a place called the Shasta Realm, where people between life and death are sometimes offered a gift.
Father said that the rulers of that realm found favor in him because of his bravery against the vampires. He was given the gift of shifting into the animal that closely embraced his human nature—the hunter. Father can now transform into any bird of prey and has supernatural speed when in his animal form. Had he not shifted for us to see, I’d have not believed it. He is now able to sneak up on the vampires and use his talons to tear their hearts out when they sleep. We have new hope that the vampires will finally be defeated.
Kohl couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, reading about how Alaric’s distant grandfather had received this incredible gift and destroyed the vampires one-by-one. The stories were incredible and practically impossible to believe. However, the crackled black and white images lying on the bottom of the box gave proof to the journal entries. Someone had photographed the man during his shift. Kohl stared in utter amazement at the hard evidence.
A yellowed envelope taped to the back cover of the journal caught his attention. He couldn’t imagine what more he’d uncover, but he’d opened the door to another world and had to continue on. Setting the notebook aside, he loosened the brittle seal. He gasped when he read the signature on the letter—Alaric Basset. The letter was also dated 1912.
Kohl’s heart pounded in his chest as he read another piece of history.
I killed the last vampire today. Our community has suffered tragically. Everyone has either died or moved away. I could not leave until my task was complete and the death of my parents avenged. I felt compelled to eliminate the threat to future generations. My daughter and her children can now live without the daily horror of bloodsucking monsters lurking in the caves.
Sadly, one of the shifters was caught off guard by the vampires. Talon was young and inexperienced against such evil. One of the vicious creatures managed to function during the day. Under a stormy sky, the vampire attacked. Their hunger is fierce now that they are under attack and the town is almost empty. The Shasta Realm had no choice but to bind Talon’s soul until he is cured. He is now half vampire and half shifter—a hybrid of the worst kind. Until he finds the strength to overcome his lust for blood, he must remain bound in the Bloodstone.
I pray that one day Talon will be released from his hellish imprisonment. I buried the Bloodstone under the castle where it will remain safely hidden until fate intervenes. God be with you, Talon.
Kohl folded the letter back into the envelope. Bloodstone! Shasta Realm! Talon…yes! The man in my dreams is named Talon. He dragged a hand across his forehead to wipe the sweat away then read the final journal entry written by Alice, the daughter.
We are moving today. Father is taking us northeast, away from this ghost town to a great city called Austin, where most of our former neighbors have relocated. I will miss the majestic river and our home on the bluff but I won’t miss the evil that lived here.
He closed the journal, tied it shut and gently placed in back into the chest. His mind reeled with what he’d just read and the photos left behind. Shifters, vampires? He couldn’t fathom such things, though books were inundated with the myths. With great care, he looked through the photos again. Two were stuck together. Hm, I missed this. Kohl eased them apart with a deft touch. His eyes widened in shock. In his hand was a very old picture of the amulet. Even in black and white, the details were shockingly clear.
And in this photo, the eagle fossil was still plainly visible embedded in the stone.
Kohl wanted desperately to take the picture home and compare it to his artifact, but he’d promised to leave everything inside the box here and he was a man of his word. With a reluctant sigh, he laid the photo on top of the journal and sealed the lid back onto the chest. Besides, he had no doubt that the photograph left behind by Alaric’s ancestor was of the amulet found at the site.
Chapter Three
Kohl hovered over the grill, watching the Delmonico steaks sizzle to mouthwatering perfection. Alaric’s family history tumbled over and over in his mind. He wondered how the man could not know. Maybe he does know but refuses to talk about it. Is this why he seems so scared of the paranormal? Kohl didn’t know how to approach him on the matter or whether he should. He decided to respect his friend’s feelings and not bring it up.
“So,” Alaric mumbled between bites during dinner. “Did you uncover anything to help shed light on your peculiar artifact?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.” Kohl sliced into his steak, then dipped a chunk into savory sauce. “But you probably don’t want to know. I didn’t know you were named after a great-great-great-grandfather. Was the name passed down through the men in your family?”
“That’s a lot of greats,” Alaric said with a chuckle.
“I’m not really sure how many to put in there.” Kohl gave him an inquisitive look.
Alaric’s voice dipped to a more serious tone. “I never talk about my ancestors. My parents died long ago in a tragic accident. The people who raised me were distant relatives.” Alaric paused to take a drink. “How do you feel about all that family history of mine? Scary shit, huh?”
Kohl shrugged. “Not really. I was amazed and fascinated more than scared.”
Alaric cocked one brow and stopped eating. “Really?”
“Is there something you’re not telling me? Did you know what was in that chest?”
“Maybe.” Alaric resumed attacking his steak hungrily. “Not something I’d go around talking about though. I’m sure you understand why.”
“So you knew about the shifters and the vampires?” Kohl laid his fork down, staring with expectant eyes.
Alaric’s head bobbed from side to side in a consenting nod as he chewed. “Do you believe all that stuff you read?”
“It’s a lot to digest, but yeah, I do. I have the amulet, the exact one pictured in that old photograph.”
“I know.” Alaric stared with serious eyes. “When I heard the vultures were swooping in to pick the site clean, I hoped that you’d be the one who found it.”
Kohl simply stared back, utterly baffled. “You lost me.”
Just as it appeared that Alaric was going to launch into a story, his cell phone rang. He answered and nodded while saying, “Uh-huh. Hm. Really? Damn. All right. Nope. I’ll be right there. Don’t let anybody touch a thing.” He ended the call and stuffed his phone in a back pocket. “Sorry, buddy, there’s a leak at the site. I gotta go. Put this in the fridge for me?” Alaric gave a nod toward his plate.
“Yeah, sure. I hope you’re going to pick up where we left off later on.”
Alaric grabbed his keys off the counter and cast him a devilish grin. “Yeah, I’ll tell you all about the family ghosts.”
Kohl let out a short laugh while watching his friend hightail it out of there. A leak at the drilling site was an imminent threat to everyone in the area. He understood the nature of the man’s job.
After clearing the dishes and sliding the leftovers into the refrigerator, Kohl headed to the couch for much needed rest. He was simply too tired to think at the moment or even go back into the lab. Reruns of sitcoms played on the TV. His mind drifted as he fought sleep. He really wanted to be awake when Alaric returned to hear what the man knew about his past. The dots felt like they were beginning to connect around the amulet.
Standing on the bank of a raging river naked, Kohl basked in the feeling of freedom coursing through him. A gust of wind whipped his hair around his face. Though it was not what most might consider long, the strands were long enough to sting his cheeks. Tilting his head back, he raised his arms. In this place where time did not exist, Kohl let his inhibitions fall away. His thoughts went to Talon, wishing the beautiful man were with him now, enjoying this moment. Right here, right now, there was no need to conform, no call to impress, just the pure desire burning in his soul for a man he’d never met.
“I am your chosen mate,” Talon’s soft voice said from behind.
Kohl spun around to face the man of his dreams. “Did I will you to me with my thoughts?”
Talon gave a shake of his head, tossing that gorgeous collar length hair back and forth. “You possess the Bloodstone. I am bound to whoever owns the amulet left behind by the Shasta Eagle.”
“Alaric’s ancestor…he was the Shasta Eagle?”
“I do not know Alaric. I only know the first shifter was created to restore nature’s balance. Vampires were out of control. They had no natural enemies. The Shasta Realm created a being that could outwit and overpower them.”
Kohl nodded. “I know now. I read about you.” His thoughts shifted. “Why are we here and not in the castle this time?”
Talon reached out and ran one hand over his bare chest, then down his abs. Kohl drew a sharp breath as shivers raced along his skin. All his nerves sparked to life as the man continued the sensual touches.
“Every time we meet in the immortal realm, the pathway between us strengthens. I am able to wander away from the castle now,” Talon told him. “The more you accept me, the deeper our bond becomes. I must find a love that is powerful enough to overcome my lust for blood and drive the darkness from my soul. Only genuine love can conquer the vampire’s curse in me. Then I will be cured.”
“I’ve never been in love with a man.” He groaned softly as Talon wrapped those talented fingers around his erection.
“You don’t love me?” He stared with hauntingly black eyes while gently stroking. “You think about me all the time.”
“I—I never considered the possibility.”
“Your attraction to me cannot be denied.”
“No, no it can’t. I find you more alluring than anyone I’ve ever known…man or woman.”
“This terrifies and thrills you, doesn’t it?” Talon’s mouth brushed his cheek.
Kohl couldn’t halt a low moan as their bodies pressed together. “Yes.”
“I am immortal. There is no need for conventional human misconceptions with me. When you let yourself out of the box that people put you in, you find a new type of freedom.” Talon swept his tongue over Kohl’s lips. “Just once, allow yourself to accept what you truly feel deep in your heart.”
Kohl released a jagged sigh. “If I do that, I will ravish you, pretty man.” His gaze slid longingly over the man’s gorgeous hard body.
“I belong to you now, eternally grateful to my master for freeing me from the grave. If you cannot let yourself love me, then I will be hell bound.”
They stood face to face. Talon’s provocative scent filled Kohl’s senses, reigniting the intense arousal. Unable to hold back another moment, Kohl clutched Talon’s satiny hair and claimed the man’s sweet perfect mouth in a searing kiss, sweeping his tongue through his mouth, tasting the idyllic blend of warmth and masculinity. Kohl groaned at Talon’s eager response. They merged into passionate kiss laden with hot tongue play.
Kohl reached down and took hold of the long cock jutting against his thigh. He had no idea how or when they’d become naked, but it didn’t seem to matter. The man’s dick was rock hard in his hand. Kohl worked it over, relishing the feel of each pulsing vein, the silky skin, the velvety head. He ran one finger over the tip, already slick with pre-cum.
Talon shuddered against him, curling into his body sweetly. Kohl wrapped one long arm around the man’s back, holding him close as they jacked each other off while kissing urgently. In this setting, Kohl felt free to explor
e his secret desires. He longed to thrust his cock up the man’s ass, to feel the tight muscles squeeze him into ecstasy.
“I give myself to you, Kohl,” Talon eased back just far enough to speak, his beautiful lips brushing Kohl’s as he spoke. Talon pivoted in his embrace, pressing his tight butt cheeks against Kohl’s groin. “Take me, my mate. Let me pleasure you.”
Kohl could barely think but managed a clear thought. “Shouldn’t we do something first? Lube, condom, stretching?” He’d heard enough from Alaric to know the basics.
Talon glanced over his shoulder with a smile so seductive that Kohl’s cock shot a premature spurt of ejaculate on the man’s ass.
“I am not shackled by human weakness. Your lovely cock is already slick. Just slide it in.”
“Oh fuck…” Kohl groaned out loud, as he nudged the head of his dick into Talon’s opening.
The man practically thrust back on Kohl’s throbbing dick, taking every inch into his body in one smooth move. Kohl felt his knees buckle but managed to steady himself by gripping Talon’s hips. He fucked him hard, unleashing all the pent up desire in his soul. Talon moaned his pleasure with each drive. Suddenly, Kohl felt more than lust for this man. He wanted to please him, too. Reaching around to Talon’s front, he curled the fingers of one hand around the man’s shaft, long and thick with arousal.
Both groaned in unison. Kohl picked up the pace again, thrusting into Talon with unbridled passion and pumping his cock at the same time. Time faded as they merged into an unfathomable connection of body and soul. Kohl knew right then he’d never want another lover except the sweetly seductive man under him now.
Blissful tightening crept over Kohl as the need to come rose. His blood ran hot while making love to Talon. He kissed the back of his neck while driving harder. Their soft grunts and heavy breathing floated around them. Then without warning, Kohl’s body jerked, his cock exploded inside Talon, shooting one hell of a heavy load. Talon cried out in sheer pleasure as his dick released a stream of hot cum over Kohl’s hand. They panted against one another as the climax seized their shuddering bodies.
