Milisha Yadav
The grass felt moist around his skin, breeze was cold and his whole body had this sting, as if someone had stabbed him again and again. “Ugh…” his head was throbbing from pain, how did he end up lying on the ground, last he remembered he was on his way back home.
Julian slightly lifted his head and looked around. His turkey was still there, lying beside him untouched and there was no one to be seen. He took a deep breath and with all his power stood up. His body seemed to have lost its strength but there were no visible wounds.
He looked towards the sky, the moon seemed larger than usual today, sky still had the remains of the evening red in it, blending with the darkness of night. Screeches of the creatures of night could be heard from afar and the leaves on the trees rustled in the cold breeze.
The narrow road leading towards the town was empty, not a single soul was roaming out at this hour. He had no idea what had happened to him, but by the looks of his surroundings, he had no intentions to investigate for the time being. Julian rushed back home. His house was just at the edge of town, not far from where he was now.
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Damain looked around the deserted town, it was a cold evening, people were probably stuffed inside their blankets.
“Less casualties” He whispered to himself.
The search for the two escaped nightcrawlers, had finally led him to this small town named Winden. It had been a month since he had set fire on their hideout and killed the other vicious member of their pack.
“How had he not noticed them escape” He muttered to himself. He was still angry at himself for being so careless and not completing his hunt. “But tonight, he’ll finish them off” He smirked
He rang the bell of the small cottage in front of him. He had shortlisted every house with a patient with fever in this town. This house at the edge of the town was the only one to have reported fever today, that too just an hour ago. This was no coincidence, this was their work, they were on the move.
A beautiful, lovely young lady opened the door. “How may I help you sir?” She spoke
Damian was awestruck by her beauty, he had never seen anyone like her, she had such beautiful blue eyes, eyes filled with innocence and truth.
“I’m…. Umm…” He shook his head “snap out of it” He murmured to himself. “You called in for a doctor” He finally replied
“Yes, but I haven’t seen you here before”
“I’m Dr.Salvatore’s old apprentice, I was in town and he had a lot of patients, so he asked me to help him out” He gave a warm smile hoping she’ll be convinced.
She peeped inside the house and then with a distressed face looked at Damian “I’m Andrea” She stepped aside “Please come in”
“Damian” He smiled and stepped inside the house. A guy was lying on bed with a wet cloth on his forehead. He had a strong build, not easy to knock down, he checked the house for possible exits, if he was in transition, it’ll be hard to protect Andrea and fight him at the same time, when he wakes up.
“How long has he been out like this?” He asked Andrea
“For past hour” Andrea seemed worried “Julian had just come back from another town, he was telling me that something had attacked him and next minute he collapsed. When I checked, he had high fever” She sobbed “And had bite marks on his neck, as if a bat or something had bit him”
“Bite marks” Damain’s intuitions were right, he was bitten and even though for now he was unconscious, he’ll wake up soon.
He glanced out of the window the moon had started absorbing the red from the sky, within an hour it’ll be at its apex, turned into the colour of blood. That’s when his transformation will be complete and he’ll become a full fletched vampire. There was no saving him now.
“Andrea” Damian held her hand and sat her down the nearest chair “Have you ever heard the legend of the blood moon?”
Andrea had no idea what he was taking about “No”
Damian took a deep breath “Blood moon is a moon that rises once a year, no one knows when it’ll happen exactly. But on the night of the blood moon, the forces of evil are at work. Various creatures of the dark get their strength from this moon, they absorb the power of moon and use it make oneself stronger. One of them are the Vampires”
“Vampires are just a myth, they don’t exist” Andrea spoke in between
“No, they aren’t a myth, they exist, they once ruled the nights and people were afraid to even step out of their houses. But the Sanguicaza, my ancestors hunted them down and killed any bloodsucking monster that came in their path, freeing the humans from their terror” Damian said proudly
“Sanguicaza?” Andrea gave a confused look
“Yes, Sanguicaza, Vampire hunters” Damian explained “During the 15th century, when the terror of vampires came to it’s peak and started threating not only the existence of humans but other mystical species as well. A coven of powerful witches drew power from the blood moon and granted a band of five hunters special power to trace and differentiate vampires from humans”
“What does any of that has to do with my brother’s fever” Andrea exclaimed in irritation
“I’m their descendant and have the same powers as them” Damain continued “I was tracking a pair of vampires that escaped me and it led me here. Vampires have a special relation with the blood moon, only tonight can they turn a human into one of their kind” Damian looked over to Julian “You told me he has bite marks as if bitten by a bat and he has a high fever ever since”
“You… You are saying a vampire bit him” Andrea’s eyes widened “But that’s not possible, you… you can save him right” She plead
Damian looked towards her “He’s in transformation and he’ll become a vampire anytime, there is no saving him” He held her hand “Look if I kill the vampires who did this to him before transformation is complete, he’ll die but if I don’t d he’ll be forced to live a monstrous life”
Andrea sat beside her brother and held his hand, he was turning pale, as if the colour from his body was slowly draining, she checked his fever, it was high. He looked in pain, she had to release him from this pain.
“I’ll fight them with you” Andrea responded “I’m from a family of hunters and even though we don’t hunt monsters like you, we do hunt animals”
“You!” Damian was in shock, but right now he didn’t have much time left, he could sense that his enemies were already outside “Okay, they are here” Damian gave her a gun “Few quick pointers, don’t let them bite you, fire at their heart or light them on fire” He passed her a lighter
Andrea nodded and took her position beside him. The front door blasted open and two people, they looked like normal people entered. The guy was tall, dark haired with eyes as red as the moon outside. The girl had same coloured eyes, she looked fierce and her blonde hair looked like fire.
“Hello, Damian” The girl smirked at him “How have you been?”
“You two are going to meet the same faith as the other members of your family” Damian yelled
“Now let’s not get all emotional shall we” The guy smirked “I see you have met Andrea” He grinned
“Andrea!” Damian exclaimed “How does a vicious animal like you know her” Damian yelled but the guy was still smiling “Speak Mikael” He fired towards him
Mikael dodged the bullet easily “What do you think Saline, should we tell him?” He chuckled “You surely didn’t think that in a town full of people, us turning Julian was a mere coincidence”
Damian still couldn’t understand what he meant by that, that’s when he felt a sharp sting at the back of his head, as if someone had hit with something heavy and he collapsed
-----------------------------------------
Damian’s head was banging, he could barely open his eyes, he remembered being hit by something, but where was he now. He could sense needles pricked inside his skin, his arms and legs seemed to be strapped to something. He opened his eyes, there were tubes coming out of him arms, sucking out his blood and he was tied to a chair.
“Mikael he’s awake” He heard a familiar voice
“Saline and Mikael, they had captured him” He remembered “Andrea” he spoke in feeble voice
“Don’t worry Damian, I’m here” Andrea was standing in front of him “Safe and sound” She smiled
“Looks like you charmed him too my darling”
Mikael emerged from behind her “Damian meet Andrea, my beloved”
“What! But she’s human…No!” Damian couldn’t believe his ears
“Yes, I know, but not for long” Mikael smiled “We had to wait till blood moon to turn her and her brother. I had returned to my family to tell them the good news, that finally I had found the love of my life. But you, you slaughtered them before I could reach them”
Saline came face to face with Damian “We knew you’d track us, that’s when we plotted our revenge against you” Saline smiled
“We have stocked enough blood and I’m hungry now” Saline’s fangs ejected out and pierced Damian’s neck slowly sucking out every ounce of blood left inside him
Damian’s eyes were fixed at Andrea. He could feel his blood rushing out of his body, but the betrayal in front of him hurt him more. Mikael held her from behind and gently bit her neck, initiating her transition. She seemed happy, no remorse in her eyes. And with his last breath he heard her “They are not all monsters”