Bloods Gem (2 page)

Turning left on Cherry, she proceeded
to Court Way. She drove into darkness. No street lamps lit this
path. Her heart quickened and she slowed for fear of running into
something. T
he headlights cut a narrow
path through the dark and if anything came from the side, she would
not see it until it was too late. Peering into the darkness, she
scanned for any sign of movement, passing what appeared to be a
garbage receptacle, and saw a light about a quarter mile ahead. She
accelerated
, anxious to get to safety.

Hearing a thump, she continued on, not
wanting to stop. Something on the roof of the car sounded as if it
crawled along the top. Heart racing, she accelerated. “Come, on…
come on,” she whispered under her breath hoping she would
soon
see city lights.

The car had become still.
She hurried to touch the keys that were still in the ignition but
they were already to the on position. Motor was still running, she
stepped on the gas, but the w
heels spun
ineffectually.

Slamming her hand into the steering wheel,
she felt an icy hand atop her own. Startled by a man sitting next
to her, she felt rooted to the spot. His hand moved to her cheek.
“Do not fear me lady. I’m here to help.”

A shiver passed through her. Her voice
shook, as she carefully removed her hand from under his. “Where did
you come from… w--w--why are you h--h--here?”

“
I would like you to do something for
me. I’m not here to harm you. Will you do as I say?” Reluctant, she
nodded.

“
It is a pleasure speaking with
someone like you this way.” He paused, smiled at her. “You shall
tell the people, darkness is upon them. They must lock away their
children, wives and mothers. Tonight is the beginning of a dark
time.

“
They must keep us out, or we will
find a way in.”

Looking into his eyes, Edith was
unafraid. The man had a power over her.
He
offered his hand and she leaned in close, cheek in his palm. He
leaned in closer. His cold breath sent chills through her and she
felt subject to his will.

“
I do not want to put you through
this. A lady like you. Fragile, alone, helpless… Your people have
no chance against us. Tell them to stay hidden at night. We cannot
come into homes in which we are not invited. If we knock, do not
open the door. If we tap on the window, do not look. If you do, you
will be compelled to let us in, and you will die.”

Snapping his fingers brought Edith out of
her daze. Staring at the man, she nodded understanding. Then he was
gone.

At the restaurant, she told her friends
everything that had happened. She told them to spread the word.
Some listened, some did not. As weeks came and went, bodies
appeared in the streets drained of blood. Hysteria gripped the
populace and curfews came earlier. Mothers locked up their
children. Husbands stayed with their wives at night with the doors
locked. No one answered their doors, or peeked out their windows
after sunset. The deaths occurred a few times a week but fewer
people went out after dark. After two years three months and twelve
days, the night demons left Eastern Europe alone.

A New Life

In the late 1700’s a man named Ruben lived
in a quiet southern town called Hidesville. An agricultural area
populated with farmers and livestock. Not much went on except
trades and the occasional drifter looking for a handout. Ruben
worked on his father's farm, helping with cattle, feedings,
collecting eggs from the chickens. He did not get away from the
farm often and grew restless as his twenty-third birthday
approached. Still, he had not met his future wife. His father would
press the issue of marrying his second cousin Betty but he was not
yet so desperate that he would procreate with family members. He
decided to wait until the farmer's dance to try his luck with a
local farmer’s daughters.

Ruben woke early with the call of the
rooster. He rose from his warm bed, slipped on his house shoes and
stumbled to his dresser, He looked up where the mirror hung and
stared at himself for a while, admiring his dark blue eyes and
curly brown hair, wondering why he was still single.

Ruben helped his mother with chores and
waited for his father to return from the sale barn.

Deciding to read a book as he awaited his
father’s arrival, he opened the dusty cover of the Night’s Owl and
began reading. He woke, jumped from the chair, his book falling to
the floor and looked out the darkened window.

“
Crap!” Glancing at the clock standing
nearby, he saw that it was already six and he still had to get
ready for the dance. “Damn it!” he said, cursing himself for
falling asleep.

He seen a note on the door.

Went to the dance. Your father and I didn’t
want to wake you. Hope to see you there. Love ma.

Crumbling the paper, he threw it away,
slipped on his boots and hurried out the door.

Sprinting through the field, he tripped on a
fallen tree trunk, fell to his knees and forcefully kicked it away
as he recovered himself and rose to his feet. Nearby, he heard
feminine laughter. He looked around, feeling self-conscious but saw
no one.

“
For Pete’s sake,” he mumbled under
his breath. It had not started out as a good night and he thought
about going home.

Instead, he continued, ignoring the laughter
that seemed to echo around him.

“
Ruben… Ruben…” Glancing left and
right, he saw nothing. He thought that perhaps the
well water w
as bad and tried to
block the sound out. Then a beautiful blonde woman stood in front
of him. She wore a long, white dress, hair cascading down her back.
Startled, he stood there. She drew closer and he felt as if his
heart would pound out of his chest.

“
Hello Ruben,” she said softly, in an
angelic voice.

“
Hello ma’am…” He said, taking off his
hat.

She stood blocking his path, smiling.

“
Ma’am… Do you need help?” He asked
politely.

Her grin grew wider. “Indeed, I do,” she
said, grabbing his hand and placing it on her breast.

He pulled away. “I--I’m sorry ma’am.”

She laughed. “Old fashioned, I see.” Walking
around him, she tickled his back with her fingers, causing him to
shiver.

“
If you don’t mind me asking ma’am…
How do you know my name?”

Standing in front of him once again, she
shrugged, “I guessed.”

“
What do you need help with? Not to be
rude ma’am but I’m on my way to a dance, I’m limited on
time.”

“
A dance, huh?”

He nodded trying hard not to stare.

“
What if I told you, you don’t need to
go?”

He cleared his throat, “Ma’am?”

She moved closer, placing a hand on his
chest. “Such a strong man. Yes you will do.”

He tensed, unsure about the situation.

“
What if I told you what you want at
the dance is right here?”

“
Uh… How do you mean?”

“
Well, you want a wife.
Yes?”

Feeling his face grow warm, he wondered how
the woman knew so much about him. “Yes, but how--?”

She placed a finger on his lips. “Shh… no
more talking cowboy, you’ll get your wish.” She brushed her lips
against his and stared into his eyes. “You’ll thank me for this.
Your life is too boring to continue this way.”

Jerking his head to one side, she bit into
his neck. His vision blurred and he dropped to the ground with a
tugging sensation at his neck. Jerking as if he’d been bitten by a
rattlesnake and the venom had taken hold. Around him the night
disappeared.

Sydney, Ruben's new wife, eventually told
him why she had changed him. Loneliness had beset her and she
needed protection. She had abandoned the man who had created her
years prior, because he was obsessed with blood and terrorizing
humans. She knew if he ever found her by herself, he would destroy
her.

Eternal life and special abilities
were not a bad deal. But the bonus was his wife. He adored Sydney
and not long after their union, she gave birth to a child they
named Samone. Samone grew to be a beautiful young woman. She took
after her mother in appearance and was
intelligent.

On Samone’s nineteenth birthday she begged
her parents to let her go on a hunt alone. Though initially against
it, they finally gave in to her pleas, urging her to stay close and
return quickly. She agreed and set off to find prey.

Fifteen miles East of their home, Samone
caught scent of a human. She scanned the woods, setting her eyes on
her game. A middle-aged man hunting alone.

Attacking, she set her fangs into his
neck. When she was nearly done feeding,
she heard movement around her. The scent
was not
human. Standing, she locked eyes with a man. He looked down at her
lunch and grimaced, repulsed.
The man
stepped back
and thinking he was going to attack her
she reacted. Midair as she launched at him,
the man’s body dropped to the ground and something like mist
went into her body. His spirit was now inside of hers, their
spirits intertwined in ecstasy, a spiritual lovemaking occurred
within seconds and he was quickly back on his feet.

Stunned at this awkward
greeting, she fell to her knees trembling. He went to her, kneeling
down, they locked eyes and knew they were destined to be
together.

Maurice and Samone ran into the forest, now
inseparable. After a few days of bliss, Samone became ill. Her
stomach grew and she was unable to walk.

Within five months Samone had birthed a boy
child, they named Stephen. They loved him but were afraid what
others would think if they saw a half breed and decided to get as
far away as they could to protect their new son. They settled in a
remote area just off the Red Sea called Tihama. Until they were
discovered…

The first sign of evil

Hundreds of years had passed since the
butterfly woman disappeared, and life was good. Shifters were
marrying, celebrating, enjoying eternal happiness until one day one
of their own went missing. After days went by and Maurice didn’t
show the village became worried. No one had gone off by themselves
without returning from a hunting trip. Weeks went by and still no
Maurice. The village called a meeting to decide who would search
for him and decided to give him more time, in case he wanted to be
alone for awhile. Soon, weeks turned into months and they decided
Maurice’s family would conduct the search.

Days went by without word from the family,
so the people decided to hold a spiritual wake to see what could be
seen. They were shown the lurking souls, murdered by vampires and
Maurice. Their hearts cried and grew cold as they saw the tragedy
unfold before them.

Hunting, Maurice was further from his
tracking territory than usual. He set his eyes on a parasite.
Leaping into the vampire’s body, they mated. A half-breed created:
spiritual shape-shifter and vampire. A monstrosity.

When his family found them, they were
surrounded by other vampires as well. Attempting to rid the world
of the child, Maurice and his new family killed them. But not
before they got a hold of the girl who had Maurice under her spell.
They ripped the girl demon to pieces. But the child still
lived.

After the wake, the shifters began preparing
for war. They split into groups and scouted areas vampires liked to
hide out, destroying as many as possible.

They needed help. To repopulate for a
chance to destroy all vampires, so they called a meeting with the
leader Therous.
A tall, skinny man who’s
demeanor always seemed angry. He agreed that this was the best
plan, and wanted total domination over the vampires.

His plan for retaliation spread through the
village like a disease. To raise children to hate vampires and the
new half-breed. Training the youth to fight, they taught them that
their sole purpose was to destroy the abomination.

Daniel

Remembering back to my
transition
from child to adulthood
b
eing told stories of how the gem works. I was in
shock to realize the gem would either kill me or keep me
alive.

I had plenty of time to agonize over this
horrible fate that was mine to bear. The thoughts invading my mind
were torture. Could I not choose my own mate? I have to stick with
what’s given me without question?

Would it be selfish to choose who I
wanted to be with forever? If I were to keep my gem alive and well,
it should be acceptable for me to find the perfect mate. And should
I
want
to procreate with her
and put her or myself in danger, at least that is a choice. I doubt
she would want that considering the chances of survival.

I knew this problem could
be dealt with.
Find the gem, bring her home and let
everyone see I have her. Then go on with my life without
interference.

It’s not as if I would marry a human girl I
hate. Hate, already without knowing her. Her being the main cause
of this unnecessary training and immunity to human blood--my one
true love.

We were raised to not drink from humans, but
I did not always follow the rules. My past incidents were nothing
to boast about. When they did occur, I did not feel compelled to
stop. I fight with myself on occasion to do what’s right, but there
are times when I don’t care. There are consequences for drinking
from humans. Torture, and sometimes banishment. Which was why I
tried to stay away from scents that compelled me to let the monster
out. Times I did feast on a human, it was never reported and I’d
always managed to cover my tracks.