Queen of Darkness

Chapter 21 Get Away

We park in the basement and I look at the time on my watch.

Me: “My time with you has come to an end... And I have not even told you all of it... You have to decide if you’re going to write my auto biography or walk away”

Alex: “If I decide to walk away... Will you let me go?”

Me: “That was the agreement”

Alex: “I know that was the agreement but will you honor that agreement”

Me: “I have not given you any reason not to trust me Alex, sure I will be disappointed but I will honor our Agreement”

Alex: “I don’t understand”

I have been staring in front of me the entire time but with Alex last comment I can’t help but look at him, waiting for him to explain what it is that he doesn’t understand”

Alex: “If vampires are all about keeping their existence secret, having all those laws and going to those extends to ensure it... Your auto biography will reveal everything, it will expose thousands and thousands of years’ worth of secrets and conspiracies... It’s against the council rules”

Me: “And you’ve only come to that conclusion now?”

Alex: “No!” his tone sarcastic.

Me: “Well like I said... I’m tired of running. If I’m going out, might as well go out with a bang. What better way as being the one to expose the whole truth.

Everyone wants to leave some kind of legacy right, to be remembered in history, to make a difference... I’ve lived for 304 years and I’ve accomplished nothing”

Alex: “Most people don’t accomplish anything... They go through life just existing, just surviving and when your times up, that’s it... It’s over”

Me: “Yes well, maybe that’s precisely why I want to make a huge impact before I go... I want people to remember my name years from now like people remember Hitler and Ganges Khan”

Alex: “They were killers, you do know that... People remember them for the wrong reasons. You’re not like that”

Me: “You don’t know that”

Alex: “I think I do. For the past two and a half weeks I’ve sat and listen to you tell me about your life. I’ve heard about all the awful things you went through and you still helped people where ever you could, to me that shows you’re a good person... Or vampire ”

Me: “Didn’t you think all vampires were monsters, just a few days ago?”

Alex: “Maybe not all vampires, right?... Tell you what, I’ll give you another week to tell me more, besides I want to know more about the werewolves”

Me: “You figured that out huh?”

Alex: “Well yeah, it’s kind of obvious”

Me: “You needed so much convincing about vampires but you can call out werewolves within a few hours... Go figure...

Well I didn’t know they were werewolves I’ve never encountered the beasts I was warned against since I can remember... ”

Shadow had laughed at me admitting my fear of wolves and I didn’t understand why... He also didn’t tell me why, he just shrugged it off and offered me some of the food on the table.

I had some toast, eggs and cheese to take away the edge but I was still hungry...I wanted blood.

Shadow told me to get some rest, they had to tend to business that night and in the morning we would go to the station.

I slept peacefully, only startled awake a few times by distend wolf howls. The next morning they cleaned the cabin up and we set off half a mile deeper into a forest before we came across a clearing where a few horses were waiting for us.

We saddled the horses, but because there was no horse for me, I had to ride with someone else.

Joshua was the only one who volunteered that I ride with him, but Shadow reminded him that he was the one to ride ahead and make sure the trail was safe, so I ended up with Mr. Personality himself. I guess it was better than having to ride with any of the others who didn’t talk to me at all and avoided me like a plague.

Hours of silence and awkwardness. I’ve never ridden a horse for such a long period and I was numb in places I don’t care to mention.

We finally reached the edge of the forest and came to a main road that lead to town. We were close to the train station and I was relieved that we were miles and miles away from Robert’s country villa.

When we reached the station there was only 2 trains. The end destinations were France or Bulgaria, with a few stops and switch overs in between. The one Shadow was taken was going towards Bulgaria.

France was a destination Robert frequently visited so I didn’t want to go there but I also didn’t want to be around Shadow for longer than absolutely necessary...so France it was.

I was about to go to buy a ticket when Shadow grabbed me by the wrist and took a sniff into the air.

Shadow: “Smell that?”

I just raised an eyebrow... I didn’t understand why Shadow and Joshua kept smelling stuff, it was kinda weird.

Joshua: “Vampires”

I had a feeling there would be vampires but I figured it was just my nerves getting the better of me.

Shadow sent off the others to get to safety while he and Joshua escorts me out of the town center.

We run down an alley way and round the corner just to run into The General, who luckily was alone.

The General: “Aurora, thank goodness you’re alright. I was so worried.”

He looks at Shadow and Joshua “I see you already made new friends” but I know the sarcastic tone in his voice. The General particularly has an interest in Joshua.

The General: “Joshua... All grown up, glad to see you made it” where to Joshua just nods and replies “General” as acknowledgement of who he is.

Me: “Wait... you know each other?”

Joshua: “You weren’t the only vampire who helped me that day”

The General: “Do you really think a child would have been able to escape Robert’s seller on his own?”

I smiled at The General, I knew he had good in him, the bad he did was only because of his bond to Robert and following Robert’s orders.

The General: “Aurora, Robert has launched a massive manhunt for you, there are vampires in every town, checking trains, main roads and harbors...you need to stay off the main roads and avoid towns and cities... You have to get out of here, Robert is here in town right this instance to catch the train to France” He reaches for his inner pocket and pulled out a wooden box...” Here, you will need this.” I recognize the box, it’s mine and it contains all my documents, my papers, bank accounts, title deeds and trust documents including some money.

Me: “Where did you find this?”

The General: “Robert ransacked the villa, luckily I found this before he did”

The General hugs me and wishes me luck before he takes his leave.

Shadow: “Do you trust him?”

Me: “I do”

Shadow studies me then asks “Would you trust him with your life?”

I can’t answer Shadow on that as quickly as he wanted. I do trust The General but even though his loyalties are divided, he is still bound to Robert, I don’t know how far his loyalty towards me can be stretched. If he had to choose between Robert and I and could only safe one of us, I don’t know who he would choose.

Shadow reads into my silence and replies “I see... Then no, you can’t trust him.

Joshua, get the others and get supplies... Meet us back at the edge of the forest”

Joshua: “On it” and he takes off leaving me alone with Shadow.

Shadow: “Change of plans Aurora, you need to come with us”

Me: “To Bulgaria?”

Shadow: “No, our destination just changed as well. We need to stay low so we can’t travel that far, we have a lodge in Serbia. We can lay low there until things settle.”

Me: “Why are you going out of your way to help me?”

Shadow: “You saved Joshua, you didn’t need to and there was nothing for you to gain”

Me: “And you saved me... Like you said, your debt is paid”

Shadow: “You’re not save yet so my debt is not yet paid in full”

Shadow and I made our way back to his horse and we rode back towards the forest.

Not everyone is back yet. Joshua and three others are not there. But one of the women who I’ve learned is called Mary is visibly angry and paces up and down before confronting Shadow.

Mary: “Shadow! What are we doing? We’re changing plans, putting all of us in danger, on the run from vampires... Because of her?!” she gestures at me and gives me an evil look.

She was the one seated next to Shadow at the table and was always not too far from his side on the horse trail, always glaring at me, so I figured she must be Shadows wife or love interest.

Shadow:” She saved Joshua’s life, now we are saving her. I started this and I’m going to finish it”

Mary takes a step right up to Shadow and has to stand on her toes to even get close to facing him. “She’s a vampire Shadow... Our family is more important, what’s it to us if she gets killed... It’s one less vampire to worry about”

Me:“Yeah well I’m not the vampire you should be worried about”

The both look at me surprised, and I motion with my head towards the road. They follow my gaze and see a female vampire approaching by horse. She’s alone but she’d already locked eyes on me and I know she’s there for me.

Just then Joshua and the others join us.

Shadow and Joshua automatically take a stance between me and the approaching vampire, to protect me.

Mary: “Shadow... This isn’t our fight, just let them have her”

Shadow glares back over his shoulder at Mary and emanates a low growling sound from deep within him. Mary backs off immediately and even I feel like retreating but the vampire standing in front of us brings me back to the immediate danger.

I push past Shadow and Joshua and look into Shadows eyes which now seemed to have more of a golden colour to them. “She’s right... This is not your fight”

Shadow still wants to protest but I’ve already walked up to the vampire. She has the same built as me. I don’t recognize her but she knows who I am. “Aurora I presume... There’s a hefty reward promised to the one who brings you back”

Me: “Bring me back? Typical Robert wants me caught so he can torture and kill me himself.

Vampire:” Yes, but I have a better idea... I’ll just take back your corpse and not only claim the reward... But your title as well.

Me: “You want to be Robert’s mate?... Out of free will?” I can’t imagine anyone wanting to be with Robert if not forced to be.

Vampire: “No... I just want to be Queen”

Me: “Okay, well good luck with that, but I’m not planning on dying anytime soon”

She pulls a Double-bladed iron war dagger from her side and attacks me. It's almost too easy, I’ve been trained by The General for centuries.

I side step and capture her from behind, bringing her own dagger to her heart, but instead of piercing her heart I bite into her neck. I’m starving and her blood is just too valuable to waste.

I see her memories, her plans, her fears I not only see them I feel her emotions and feelings. Once she’s weak enough and I had my fill of blood I plunge the dagger into her heart.

I didn’t notice it anymore, after so many years, but my eyes were glowing white at the taste of blood.

Joshua: “Well that’s not something you see every day”

Me: “You might want to go on without me... You don’t want to see what I’m about to do”

Shadow looked at me confused but nods to the others who sets off into the woods, only Joshua and Shadow stays behind.

I start undressing. Both men look confused but turn their backs to me. I ruffle though her saddle pack and pull a dress from it as well as money. Seeing her memories I know what she carried with her and I also know she’s a rogue vampire with no one knowing she’s here.

My dress is filthy and torn from the fight with Robert and the time running through the Forrest.

I pull the clean dress over my head and Continue to undress the vampire, only to dress her with my old clothing.

Shadow and Joshua study my every move in silence. Once she’s dressed I plunge the dagger into her heart again to authenticate the wound through the material.

Again I state to them that they should not watch but they both stay. I continue to set fire to her face, scolding her hair and facial features.

Shadow:” More vampires approaching from the direction of town”

Me: “Perfect”

I try to pick up the vampire but struggle, Joshua and Shadow quickly comes to assist as we place the corpse in the saddle. Removing all documents and personal effects I chase the horse off, in the direction of the oncoming vampires.

Taking the dress and all evidence of the vampire with me, we head off into the forest after the others.

Joshua: “What the hell was that?”

Shadow: “That was a brilliant plan, to buy us time to disappear”