The Artifact of Dissium (Demona Book 2) (13 page)

The path was now cleared for Demona, Felix, and Ileana to follow without harm. They ran in pursuit of Aero out of the camp.

Demona looked back over her shoulder upon the chaos once more. She hung her head in guilt at their departure. Demona used her
mageia
to create an air current strong enough to lift the three of them from the ground. It carried them gently in the direction of Aero, until they were by his side.

They continued to run from the camp and the fighting, until the sounds of battle could no longer be heard. They found a shelter in the nearby forest under a tree that had formed a strange arched ceiling, where leaves had settled over the years providing a canopy. It was hidden and dry enough for them to rest comfortably on the ground and nurse their wounds.

Demona had only suffered some superficial wounds that had already begun to heal. Her
kataphraktos
had prevented any blood loss and luckily none of their attackers had dealt her a fatal blow. Felix bled from a cut on his forehead and a few other minor injuries. Ileana remained unharmed, but paced quickly back and forth from the rush of the battle. Aero’s glossy coat was caked with dried blood. Demona could see that his once white and nicely woven mane was now stained a dark color and all in knots. Ileana tried to examine him, but he refused.

Aero snorted at Ileana.
My wounds will heal quickly
, he said.

Demona sat with her crossed legs drawn up against her chest. Her head rested on her knees as she tried not to allow her guilt to consume her.
I fed on an innocent woman that I should have been protecting.

Ileana did not need to hear Demona’s thoughts to know her sorrows. She placed her hand comfortingly on Demona’s arm.

“Don’t,” Demona said. She shook off Ileana’s hand and refused to lift her head. “I don’t know what I will do.”

“Don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t help your instincts,” Ileana replied.

“I should be able to control myself. I should have been helping you guys and the light beings. I should have been stronger. Not creating more panic and harm,” Demona replied.

“Ileana’s right. Your food supply is a delicate situation. We should have helped you sneak from camp to eat your rations. We know your instinct can take over. You can’t blame yourself for reaching that point,” Felix said.

“Well, I’ve probably ruined things with the light beings now,” Demona said.

Aero stomped his hoof.
There was too much chaos in camp for them to be certain it was you, but you are correct we cannot return to the camp. The camp will move from Vilund as soon as the battle is over and they have counted their dead. Our journey lies elsewhere. We should be thankful to be alive and that we were not taken prisoner.

Demona looked at the other members of her group. “Do you…do you think that the woman will be okay?”

“Yes, she got away when you released her. She was weak, but alive. As long as she managed to reach a safe place she’ll be fine,” Ileana said.

“I’ve never fed on a person before,” Demona said, “At least, not that I can really remember. I only have the faded memories from the day I was turned. I’m such a horrible person. How can you even want to be around me after I just ate a light being?”

Felix looked concerned. “She can’t turn into a vampire by you feeding off of her, right?”

“No, there are many steps in the transformation process,” Demona replied.

“Then, we just need to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. Mistakes happen,” Felix said.

“You are too forgiving,” Demona replied. “What if it had been you?” She turned her back to them and curled into a ball. She hugged herself and allowed her guilt to consume her.
I don’t know if I can forgive myself
.

Chapter 12:

The Last Companion

They waited until dawn to continue their journey. Aero had insisted that after the night’s raid, the dark beings had pro
bably returned to their camp to rest. After they were certain that it would be safe to travel they made preparations for their journey. The sun shone down on them from high overhead. The humid heat made the day feel like it was one of the dog days of summer. Demona had come to the conclusion that it could have been midsummer in Dissium and not autumn like it was when they left Gleannbroch.

The heat was wearing the mortal travelers down. Felix was soaked with sweat and had removed his shirt in an attempt to cool off. Even Aero showed signs of perspiration on his back and sides. Ileana, however, was never fazed by the weather; her internal temperature seemed to fluctuate as needed.

They broke through the trees to find a large glistening lake spread out before them. Felix sighed in relief at the sight. The lake looked cool and inviting. A gentle breeze blew across the water causing little ripples to lap at the shoreline. Demona looked to the other side of the lake, which seemed at least a mile across.

Demona walked to the lake’s edge and bent down over the water. She splashed the cool water onto her face and wiped the dried blood from the corners of her mouth. She was disgusted at the red tinted water that dripped from her into the lake. She was disgusted with herself.
If I didn’t need blood to survive, I would never drink it
.

Felix was allowing water to flow over some of the cuts on his arms, which he had received during the escape from the Vilund camp. Felix was still shirtless and he began to splash water onto his back and head.

Demona glanced at his glistening muscles and watched the water trickle down his flesh. Unlike the night before, Demona was seeing Felix in a new light. She had never seen him so exposed, so natural. She tried to look away towards Aero and Ileana, but caught her eyes gravitating back towards him.
Why do I do this to myself?
Demona made it a point to look elsewhere.

Ileana transformed into her phoenix form and soared high above the lake. She swooped in circles over the body of water. She folded her wings and gathered her legs tight under her. Ileana let out a thrilling scream. Then, she dove into the lake causing a huge splash with the impact. Moments later she burst from the surface with a trout clutched within her talons. She carried it up into the air and landed on a nearby branch to enjoy her feast.

“What’s that?” Demona stared at what appeared to be lumps of darkness protruding from the serene lake.

Aero raised his head in the direction that Demona pointed.
Merpeople
, he said.

“They’re watching us,” Demona said.

Felix went to stand beside her. “I wouldn’t worry. They won’t bother us.”

“Why not?” Demona asked. She shielded her eyes with her hand and peered on at the merpeople.

Aero kicked a rock with his hoof.
They will not, because I am here
. Aero went to take a drink from the lake to prove his point. Then, he stepped into the water with some very loud clopping and splashing. He continued to submerge himself in the lake, until the only thing that was visible was his head, neck, and horn. Aero stuck his muzzle into the water for another drink and suddenly he disappeared below the surface.

Aero’s head reemerged. He neighed with frustration and blew water from his nose. He thrashed around and fought to be free of something below. Then, he flew to the shore in a hurry.

“What happened?” Demona yelled.

Aero turned and neighed at the water.
Damn merboys and their tricks.
He snorted and whinnied at the unpleasant sensation of having water up his nose. He shook his head from side to side, while drops of water flew out in the process.

A few of those dark objects popped up from in the lake to survey the commotion they had caused. Demona saw that their faces took on the normal humanoid appearance, but that their hair was different shades of green. The boys splashed at them with webbed hands, in what almost seemed like a form of laughter. Then, they darted back under the water and disappeared.

Demona and Felix giggled at Aero as he carried on behind them. He blew and blew from his nostrils as he tried to clear them of water.

Ileana could be heard chitterling in laughter from a tree far above.

Aero stormed away to a green patch of tall grass nearby. He proceeded to rip the grass with his giant tongue more aggressively than he had intended. He did it with so much force that he often pulled up roots.

Felix was in a fit of laughter and could not stop himself. He held his stomach and pointed in Aero’s direction. Demona could not help but giggle along at the thought of the merboys grabbing Aero’s legs and yanking him under. The funniest part was that he had just finished saying that they would not bother him.

Aero pretended to ignore the group, but stomped his hooves and swished his tail in agitation. Then, he turned his rear towards them. Aero’s action made Felix laugh even harder and tears began to fill his eyes. Demona walked over to him in fear that he would stop breathing. Felix’s fits of laughter eventually sputtered to a stop.

“Sorry, Aero. Ha-ha…. You should have seen how angry you looked,” Felix said.

Ileana had finished her meal and rejoined the group in her human form. Felix found a rock to sit on and searched through his pack. He pulled out a chunk of stale bread and began munching on it. He looked on the glistening surface of the lake in a daze as he chewed his food.

“I need to find rations,” Demona said. She looked at the last bag before breaking it open and drinking it down. “I won’t allow a repeat of last night.”

Felix and Ileana looked at one another.

“Aero, any suggestions on how we can solve Demona’s problem?” Ileana asked. She sat on a rock and watched their four legged guide continue to eat.

Aero threw his head over his shoulder to look at the others.
Dark ones take what they wish. This one is unusual to not feed from life
. He paused.
Some of the vampires in Dissium carry flasks of blood. Maybe, you can consult them about your needs
?

Felix and Demona allowed their eyes to meet. Felix gave her a sorrowful look.

“I hoped to avoid dark beings entirely,” Demona said. “Where can I find them?”

Aero stomped his foot again.
There is a traveler’s camp on the other side of the lake, which is often in use. Maybe a dark one will help you
.

Demona rose from her uncomfortable seat and grabbed her pack.

“Where are you going?” Felix’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead. “You aren’t going there now. Are you?”

“I have to. I can’t afford to wait too long. I need to find my next rations,” Demona said, “And hopefully enough to last the rest of the trip.”

Ileana stood and brushed the dirt from her pants. “I’m going with you.”

Aero blew in their direction.
I advise against it. In your world neutral beings may live alongside both dark and light, here dark are lucky enough to belong with their own
.
Neutral
beings belong with their own kind
.

Ileana sat back down and crossed her arms across her chest with disappointment.

“I’ll be fine. I’m the
Mythos
remember?” Demona said.

Ileana jabbed her finger at Demona. “Fine, but if I hear a single scream from across the lake, I’m flying over there to rescue your butt.”

Demona held her arms up in surrender. “Okay, okay.”

Felix stood and walked with Demona. “Don’t get yourself killed.”

“Aren’t you cute for worrying?” Demona turned to Felix. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

Felix reached for Demona’s hand. “Be careful.” He planted a kiss on Demona’s cheek and pulled back to smile at her.

Demona felt her lips tug and found that she was smiling back at him. “I will.”

Demona walked away and looked back at Felix who remained where she had left him. He waved to her and she waved in return. She readjusted her pack and continued on her solo journey to the other side of the lake. Demona continued walking around the water’s edge and occasionally glanced back at the miniature versions of her friends on the distant shore. She was not sure where to go, since she was almost half way around the lake, but she began to look around carefully for some indication as to where the traveler’s camp might be.

Demona would have missed the path if she had not been looking for something out of the ordinary. She noticed that a section of brush bordering the forest looked like it had been cleared. She approached it and looked at the jagged branches that had been cut back to allow an opening into the forest. Demona carefully stepped into the almost immediately darkened woodlands and found that a trail had been worn in the ground below. She decided to follow it.

After a few hundred feet into the forest she stumbled into a larger clearing with logs placed around a fire pit shaped by four precisely placed boulders. She smelled smoke and bent to look closely at the fire. It had been lit, until only a short time ago. Now, there was an almost invisible trickle of smoke rising from the dampened logs.

Someone put this fire out recently
. Demona rose from her crouched position to look at the clearing around her. She saw no one, but a strange soothing feeling crept through her body. She was certain that she was being watched. At the same time she was not afraid and she knew she should be. Demona kept her eyes moving at the space around her and carefully stepped backwards towards the trail.
These feelings are not natural
.

“Where do you think you are going?” A tall lean figure stepped into the clearing.

Demona could not get a good look at the man’s face. A sense of familiarity and longing grew within her. At the same time she felt fear and caution behind the dominate feelings.

“Finally, my beautiful, Demona. At last.” The man’s words were smooth. He approached and stood before her.

That was when Demona recognized his blonde hair and blue eyes. Then, it clicked. “Kearne? What are you doing here?” She knew that she was in real danger without a protection charm and no potion to counter his poisonous touch. It would take only his smooth talking and a brush of his fingertips to send her to
telos
. She wished that she would have at least thought to bring iron to protect herself.

In that same moment she felt the urge to touch him and hear him speak again. She wanted to know why he had come. It did not seem like an accident that they would meet in Dissium. It seemed more of like fate bringing them together.

Demona tried to shake off the irrational feelings that his presence brought with him.

“I was sent to find you,” Kearne said. He walked around Demona as she stood unmoving and waited to hear his next sweet words.

“By who?” Demona reached out to touch him, but resisted as her fingertips brushed his shirt.

“Darius...He received word that you were venturing into Dissium. Since, I was chained in his dungeon, thanks to you I might add, and that I lived here most of my life, he chose me specifically for this task. And what a lovely task it is.”

Demona felt his words surge through her body and she caught his intoxicating whiff of honeysuckles. “Why did he send you?”

“I am here to protect his interests,” Kearne responded. He reached as if to brush the long hair from her cheek, but stopped himself only inches from her flesh.

Demona wanted to lean into his hand, but found the will to pull away instead. “Don’t even think about it.”