Fate of the Blood Moon's Path Read online

  Whatever this creature was that was growing inside me, I couldn’t quite comprehend. The blood that was slowly dripping down my throat was sweet, like sugar. The realization hit me as I drank it in. I wanted more. I wanted so much more. I was turning into a monster, and a part of me was loving it. The other part that still had what was left of my human side, hated it. What choice was it that I had, now I am what I am and there is no going back.

  “When he wakes. Bring him out.” This man said to Akuma.

  By the time I awoke, night had fallen. I sat up slowly looking around, my throat still burning. Akuma stood silently by the window dressed out of his armor, with a robe on now.

  “Sleep well, did you?” He asked.

  “I didn’t know I was asleep.”

  He turned towards me, “You must certainly be special.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “The master never lets just anyone drink his blood.”

  “The master?”

  “Every Vampyre in the world answers to him. He was the first, he was the father to us all. “

  “What do you mean the first? How can something like that be created?” I stood up slowly trying to ignore the burning in my throat. Akuma threw me a robe to get dressed in.

  “He was a part of a Romanian tribe of warriors thousands of years ago, before Christ himself. They used to live in caves, slaughter animals to survive.” He sat down in the chair next to the windows, “His name is Lazarus Uno Tainn.” He kept staring out the window. “They never let any part of the animals go to waste. Drinking the blood and all.” He paused. “He had a lover who was a beautiful woman with long black hair and green eyes, a goddess. Well, another man from the tribe took his lover and had his way with her. He didn’t like it. Obviously, who would? He got so angry he tore out the other mans throat with his teeth, and drank his blood.”

  “Drank his blood…” I slowly repeated.

  “Yes, well, he thought the taste of human blood was better than that of the animals. He went on a sort of feeding frenzy killing almost everyone from his tribe. Except for those few who escaped. He finally came to his lover who he knew hadn’t really done anything wrong. He bit her, and drank her blood. I suppose there was something then that was in human blood that turned him and his lover into what we are now. But that’s how they survived.

  “Where is she now?”

  “She was killed a few years back. Humans burned her alive and scattered her ashes into the lake to be carried away so she wouldn’t resurrect. It was her own fault. She got to close to them and let them into our world.”

  “The humans? Why can’t they be in our world?”

  “You’re a fool Robert Draven. Don’t you see that they fear us? And what is not understood makes fear. They will never understand us. It can be two thousand years from now, and we will still never be understood. The humans will glamorize us and turn us into wonderful things that we aren’t.”

  “Oh.” I simply said.

  “Why are you so accepting?” He finally looked up at me.

  “I was always taught to accept life for what it was.”

  “Smart parents you had.”

  “Yes. They were.”

  “What did they teach you about fear?”

  “To look it in the eye.” I replied, looking him directly in the eyes. He gave a satisfying grin. “How was I turned?” I asked.

  “A group of rogue Vampyres we were following passed through the forest near your house, and they decided to take a short cut. Well, they found your family. You and your family were dragged to the lake. Killed and thrown in…I sensed that there was one survivor. You. Lazarus instructed to save you, turn you into one of us. And I did. I left you there on the shore while we chased the rogues. But when I came back, you were gone. So, Lazarus sent a search party. It was I that found you, and brought you back here; to your new life.” He sighed.

  “I see. So both of my parents, my younger sister and my older brother were killed…” I trailed off.

  “There was only your parents and sister that we found.” Akuma looked over at me.

  “So my brother may still be alive somewhere?” I got excited.

  “You cannot have anything to do with your human existence Robert. That part of your life is now over. As far as anyone knows, you are all dead and gone.”

  I closed my eyes. “How were you turned?” I asked.

  “Only a short time after him. I was a British man in Japan on a mission. He came there. I had gotten into a fight and was left at the verge of death. Needless to say, he bit me and saved me. Turning me into a Vampyre. And when I awoke from being turned, I was a savage. Slaughtering everything that crossed my path. He merely stood back and watched me do this, laughing. And that is how I earned my name from him.”

  “Your name? Akuma? That’s not your real name?” I asked.

  “No it is not.”

  “What does Akuma mean?”

  “The Devil.” He paused with a toothy grin. “People were running down the streets yelling that the Devil was coming.” He laughed, as did I.

  “Come. We must get you down stairs. He’ll be wanting to see you.”

  “Everyone meet our newest edition!” Lazarus said as I stood before him in the long drawn out throne room. He sat high in a stone carved chair. Now that I could see him with out my blurry vision. He had short black slicked back hair, and greenish blue eyes. Dressed in all black with silver embroidered designs of vines on his clothing. He had a long robe on, and silver chains with medallions around his neck, and rings on his fingers. “He is everything I expected and more.” He smiled and stood up. He was so fast, he was standing in front of me in the blink of an eye with his hands upon my shoulders. “Let us welcome our newest edition. A feast!”

  There was an uproar from the surrounding crowds. The back doors opened and like cattle or sheep, there were humans being herded into the room. What once were peasants, were now dressed nicely to match the rest of the crowd. Did these people know why they were here? To be killed and drained? Did they know they were going to be slaughtered? Were they willingly brought here because they had nothing left? Or were they hypnotized and tricked?

  A part of me cared about these people. After all I used to be one not to long ago. My other half was starving. My throat was burning, and wanting so badly to sink my teeth into the flesh that walked into this room.

  “Our newest edition gets first choice.”

  Without delay I ran faster than the speed of light, jumping onto a beautiful girl dressed in a gold gown. Her neck and shoulders were exposed. My teeth, sharper then any knife, sunk deep into her skin. My tongue massaged the skin around the open wounds.

  The bite of a Vampyre paralyzed its victims, there was no struggle, no screaming. Just a limp body that lay there slowly dying. Still drinking, my eyes were wide open and looking around me. I saw the rest of the crowd sucking life into them from the human kind.

  This is the second taste of blood, and it’s a beautiful feeling. It gives me the feeling that nothing can touch me. I’m invincible. It fills me with life. With passion. I feel free and alive for the first time ever.

  “More!” I roared standing up, letting the body drop to the ground. The girl was dead. I knew that. Her life force was running through my veins, and the smell of the sweet red liquid was in the air. My nostrils flared and my throat itched. I wanted more.

  That’s when I spotted her. Another human girl standing over in a dark corner trying to hide. Her fear is what gave her away. It’s fear that always gives them away. I could smell it. She was beautiful. Golden hair in spiral curls, and big brown eyes.

  I slowly made my way over to her.

  She stood there staring at me. Her lips tight together, and her eyes were filled with tears. The fear that radiated off of her was a beautiful thing. It’s true that humans fear us; we survive off of that fear and that sweet liquid inside of them. We are not the only creatures out there that they should f
ear.

  “Nooooo…” She whispered a moan as she sank down to the ground still staring up at me.

  “Oh yesssss….” I hissed and pounced on her like a wild animal. My teeth sank deep into her skin. She tasted even better then the last meal I had.

  As time went on, months to years, the taste of blood got sweeter and more agreeable. Always a clean taste that gave me pleasure. As more years went past, I was brought into their so called army. The band of warriors called the Black Thorn. Executing orders and doing what was needed to keep our society safe. And keeping who we were a secret was the main thing.

  Of course humans knew that Vampyres existed. Hundreds of years later before Vlad the Impaler was brought into our world. Yes he was a real Vampyre. We did call him Dracula, that’s a fact. And after his death, the humans literally tore him apart quite. Each section of his body was sent to a different part of the world so he wouldn’t be able to resurrect in the future.

  He was feared, there is no doubt in that. All Vampyres are feared. Dracula was a part of our brotherhood. A prestigious member of the Black Thorn. Admired by all. But there was nothing we could do to keep him safe. Only search for the parts to bring him back to life someday.

  And after Dracula, we became a truly known topic amongst the human kind. They feared us, and wanted to belong to us at the same time. I will never understand why this life is so intriguing to them. I do, however, know that I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

  “Do you always have to drain them to the last drop?” Akuma asked as he mounted his horse, smiling down at me.

  “It’d be a complete waste if I didn’t.” I smiled wiping the blood off of my face, then mounted my horse. Two dead bodies lay off to the side of the road. Akuma was laughing when he heard the sounds of hooves coming up behind us.

  “Your presence is requested at the castle my Lords.” The rider spoke quickly bowing his head and turning his horse around taking off in the other direction.

  “Wonder what for…” I said.

  “I think I know. Come.” Akuma said. “Yaw!” He yelled to his horse to get a move on. I did the same.

  “Leave Romania?” I yelped out to Lazarus, “Why?”

  “Because, my boy, there are better things abroad for us. We have a mansion on foreign lands. It is there where we will meet our destiny.”

  “My Lord…You’re not leaving the walls of this castle.” Akuma stepped forward.

  “No I am not. You two, along with some others. You shall stake your claim Akuma. Establish what you must there. I am putting you in charge of the our foreign affairs.”

  “Are there Vampyres there already?” I asked.

  “Hundreds my boy, and they all know you’re coming. The message was sent out to them all.”

  “When will you come?” I asked.

  “When the time is right or when I am needed.”

  “When do we leave?” Akuma asked.

  “In two nights. You must make your way to the sea port, there our ship will be waiting. A ship with a black rose painted on it.”

  “Yes my lord.”

  “Take my daughter Akuma,” Lazarus motioned towards a beautiful girl, “Victoria, she’s in need of a different scene.” He smiled at her. “How you have evolved so…”

  “Come.” Akuma said to the girl. “We must get ready.”

  “The ship will not wait. So get there as soon as you can. And send word to me when you have arrived at the mansion.”

  “Of course sir.” Akuma bowed his head. I followed suite and bowed my head as well.

  In haste we left for the sea. Off to foreign lands…

  Angel.

  12.

  Under the Blue Moon.

  Present Time.

  “That doesn’t explain why you were there when Scarlet’s family died!” I leapt up looking down at him.

  “I wasn’t done showing you! Stop fighting me.” He too stood up and looked me in the eye. He held out his hand for me to take it.

  I did. “Then show me.” I sighed with a slight smile.

  He leaned again towards me. Now I was in his arms and our faces were together. He pressed his lips to my forehead kissing me lightly. Then leaned his temple back against mine. The darkness, once again, took my sight.

  “Come. We have work to do.” Akuma said to me walking towards the stables.

  “What is it now? A peasant family that won’t pay their taxes to us?” I asked hurrying along behind him.

  “No. It’s a Werewolf family who doesn’t know how the business goes or doesn’t know how to take orders.”

  “Werewolves? Did I hear you right?” I asked, mounting my horse.

  “You sure did. I need to have you be the lookout for me tonight Draven. The Donovans will be getting what they deserve.” He mounted his horse. His long cloak almost touching the ground.

  “What was the order they were given?” I asked as we started to trot off towards our destination.

  “Victor and his son were to take care of a human family who had stuck there noses into something they were not a part of. They were to kill them, dispose of them and leave no evidence behind. Then they were to go and kill a few Werewolves who went rogue and dispose of them.”

  “But?” I asked.

  “They decided it wasn’t important to kill the other Werewolves and left them alone, because they were their kind…” He sighed, “As you can imagine Lazarus wasn’t happy about that. He had to send out others to kill them.”

  “I’m sure he wasn’t happy…”

  “So that’s why we are going there. Because you know the rules Draven. And so do they. Don’t obey, you die.”

  I smiled.

  “Oh Victor.” Akuma came walking into the room like he owned the place. I was on the outside keeping watch. "It has been too long." He smiled looking down at a teenage boy who was trying to get up. Akuma put his foot down on his chest, with a blade attached to the bottom of his boot.

  "Don't. He has nothing to do with any of this." Victor said. A woman walked over to a girl and put her behind her.

  "Did he not?" Akuma asked with a grin on his face. "And who is this?" Akuma pointed to the girl.

  "No." The woman said trying to push the girl into the bedroom.

  The other men that had come with us went in and took the girl away from her mother. She tried to intervene. One of our men picked her up and threw her across the room, snapping her ankle as she hit the floor.

  "Name? What's your fucken name?" Akuma asked again.

  "Scarlet."

  "And aren't you a beauty."

  "Please, leave her out of this, she doesn't know."

  "How can you raise children and have them not know what they are?" He asked,. "For Christ sake would someone put her out of her misery?" I threw a small dagger in through the doorway and hit the woman in the heart.

  "NO!" The girl screamed.

  "Daddy!" A little girl came running out with a man who was chasing her out of her bedroom, but catching her before she got to him.

  "Akuma, please don't do this!"

  "Oh Victor please, you knew this day would come. He had you and your family marked. Marked for death. Marked to drain. Marked to take the innocence." I left the room and stood in the doorway facing out looking into the night. I saw movement upon the hills. I only sensed a wild animal, but I knew that it was that hybrid girl that we’d been looking for. I knew I should tell, but I wanted to keep it a secret. And that was a dumb thing to do on my behalf. I don’t know why I wanted to keep it a secret.

  "You know Victor...I just don't understand how you couldn't tell your family about what you were doing." He went back to the boy. "Oops." He laughed. His foot moved and the blade on his boot sliced open his throat. "Slipped." He laughed.

  "No!" Victor screamed.

  "He didn't tell you what you are and where you come from, my love?" Akuma walked towards her.

  "No..." she choked out.

  "You have th
is strange innocence about you." Akuma touched her chin with one finger holding up her face..

  "Let me do it.....Let me kill her." The man holding her was chuckling.

  "No!" He yelled. And then calmly looked back at her. "I promise you won't feel a thing......" He laughed and then stood up fast.

  Akuma got over to Victor in the blink of an eye. Kicked him in the ribs and made him fly across the room. Landing on the dining table making it break.

  "This could have been done the easy way Victor if you had only cooperated....." Akuma paced the room. "Nothing is ever easy, or weren't you taught that?" Victor stood up and ran straight for Akuma.

  Akuma's arm came up so fast and spun. His elbow went into Victor’s throat making him fly backwards again against the front door making it come off its hinges. I didn’t move. I didn’t flinch. I stood perfectly still as I was taught to do years ago.

  "Victor, stop torturing yourself, for Christ sake! You brought this all upon your fucking self. Do what your told, and don't betray us. You had simple orders and you couldn't even do that. Couldn’t keep your nose out of our business. I told him not to hire dogs! "

  "Why isn't he turning?" The man holding the girl asked.

  "He doesn't want his precious daughter to see him for the monster that he really is. What she will be someday...Isn't that right Victor? You see my love," Akuma was now speaking to the girl. "Your daddy here, is not that hero who rescues you from the nightmares in your sleep...he is the source of those night mares. He is the monster you always were afraid of. You see...when he and your brother went away it was because they were working for my master. They were assigned people to kill, creatures to hang. Couples to sacrifice. All in search for those damn hybrids of the world. And he disobeyed. He didn't do what he was told...and the rules are simple my love." He turned and looked down at Victor. "The rules are simple Victor. You don't carry out the command, you pay with death...Your lovely family could still be alive if you had just done that simple thing you were asked. But you didn't, did you? No. You didn't. You are ridiculous you know that Victor? He is not happy with you." Victor ran straight at Akuma, he lifted his leg up in the air and kicked him in the throat.