The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)

A gentle, humid wind was blowing against Ethan’s face as he sat with his legs crossed on a large branch. He was at the top of a tall tree, his back leaning against its trunk and he was staring at the large expanse of woods that surrounded him. The sun was already high in the sky, its rays glittering the wet surfaces of the leaves. Ethan could also see the small town of Ravenhill from afar.

Even in rare, peaceful moments like these Ethan never let his guard down. He had already sent out a wave of power earlier and detected no usual creatures near him. He had also heightened his hearing and sight, enabling him to even hear a woodpecker ramming its beak in a tree some kilometers away from him.

A sigh of frustration came upon him when he remembered his battle against Vlad and Arius. All these years and Richard still wasn’t powerful enough to face creatures like them. While awakening his Flame King form was an amazing feat it didn’t change the fact that he needed Ashley’s help; specifically her blood.

Ashley Morgan. Ethan was right to overestimate the power that the little water mermaid possessed.

However, they were things about her that even he found surprising.

“...Thank you, Ethan”

The words that came out of her mouth were indeed genuine. Ethan had existed long enough to sense deception from almost any being. Gratitude wasn’t something Ethan was used to and Ashley had even gone as far as bowing her head in front of him...

Ethan’s eyes suddenly flew wide in shock when he realized something. The way Ashley had bowed her head... Ethan wasn’t paying much attention back then because if he had he would have noticed the hand gesture Ashley made with her right hand. Her hand was pressed on her chest close to where the heart is. The tips of her little and ring finger rested on her palm while the rest pressed against her chest.

The seal of Arianis Ethan thought. The hand gesture symbolized the kingdom’s strength, unity, and love for one another. Ashley being a half-breed was mystery enough but how she knew of a custom as ancient as this one was far from intriguing. Rina, Ashley’s mother, was human which meant that her father must have been a merman. This begged the question... just who was Ashley’s father? From what Ethan had already gathered Ashley grew up without knowing her father. She had obviously adopted his last name Morgan seeing as her mother’s birth name was Rina Madison; a piece of information Ethan had acquired after compelling a few of Ravenhill’s residents. Morgan... could he have been one of...

Ethan found himself chuckling. He sighed and closed his eyes. It seemed his childhood curiosity still hadn’t left him even after all these years. He reminded himself that Ashley was just a means to an end. There was even a possibility of her losing her life depending on how events unfolded. Trying to find out more about who Ashley Morgan was would just be a waste of time he thought.

Still drowned in his thoughts, Ethan felt a warm, electrifying sensation course through his body. He sent out another burst of power just to make sure and like echolocation, the aura that he picked up was that of a human. It wasn’t just any human he thought. This aura carried a certain warmth and benevolence that belonged to someone he had already met.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked down from the top of the tree. Walking aimlessly below him was Samantha. This was the girl who had somehow survived the onslaught of the Dark Trinity when they had attacked Ashley and her party yesterday. Samantha was moving like she was half asleep, almost bumping into a few trees. Ethan repositioned himself on the branch and sat in a way that his legs dangled in the air. He rested his elbow on his thigh and held his chin as he cautiously observed the girl wearing a deep maroon top, a black jacket, blue denim jeans, and red canvas.

Ethan was only able to sense her when she entered the barrier he had set up. However, he had heightened his hearing to even pick up the ocean waves that were miles away. So how in the world did this girl make it this close to him without him hearing or even picking up the intoxicating fragrance of her olive-scented lotion?

Why don’t I just ask her then? Ethan thought.

Samantha’s entire body trembled in fear when Ethan landed behind her. She didn’t scream but expressions of fear and confusion were forming across her face as she slowly moved backward.

“W-What do y-you want from me?” she asked, almost missing a step. “How did you bring me here?”

“How I brought you here?” Ethan asked. “Surely you don’t think I am responsible for your being here?”

Ethan studied Samantha’s eyes. She wasn’t lying and Ethan could tell that she had no idea of how she ended up in this part of the forest. The first thing that came to his mind was a compulsion. But if a creature had compelled her then her aura would have had a certain stain of darkness that came with the act.

Speaking about dark auras...

“You’re greatly mistaken if you think I haven’t noticed you lurking about,” Ethan said.

“What are...?”

Samantha was interrupted when a man walked out of the bushes; at least he looked like one. He must have been in his early thirties when he died. His dark brown eyes were sharp and analyzing. Spiky black hair grew on his head and the only thing more sinister than his smirk was the aura he was emanating. Standing next to him was a woman wearing a long blue velvet dress and she appeared to be about his own age. Her arms were wrapped around his right one and she couldn’t stop staring at them.

Even Samantha realized that these weren’t human. They were vampires and judging from Samantha’s reluctance to move, Ethan was sure that she was right now deciding which side she would walk to.

“My love,” the female vampire said, raising her head to the man next to her. “I am thirsty.”

Samantha involuntarily moved closer to Ethan when she saw the woman lick her long sharp canines.

“Pardon my wife’s rudeness,” the man said. “Even after millennia she still hasn’t been able to control her cravings. Oh... Where are my manners? My name is Niles and the beauty next to me is Olivia. And you are...”

“Not interested in wasting my time,” Ethan said.

Olivia’s face burnt up with angry expressions and Niles firmly held her hand when she tried advancing towards Ethan.

“Listen, kid,” Niles said. “I am really trying to be civil here. You see, I am new to these parts and only came here to mourn the loss of a good friend...”

“An act that obviously has nothing to do with me,” Ethan interjected. “Why don’t you just get to the point?”

“How dare you?!” Olivia shouted.

Ethan smiled when the rest of the vampires that had been hiding came out. All of them looked like they had been turned at ages well over thirty. After a quick glance and read of their auras, Ethan ascertained their number to be exactly sixty-seven.

They surrounded both him and Samantha. Each of them wore a daylight ring, which was why they were able to survive in the sun.

“Now, now,” Niles said, stepping forward. “I really didn’t want to resort to violence. So I will ask this once kid... What exactly are you?”

Ethan was quiet and studied carefully his possible future opponents. Vampires were by nature extremely solitary yet competitive creatures. Niles must have sensed the waves of power Ethan was projecting; a power which obviously knew greatly exceeded his own.

Kractapus Ethan thought. To think that he was so lost in thought that he neglected to set up measures against someone tracing his aura back to him.

He sighed and just smiled at Niles.

“That’s it,” Olivia snarled. “Get the girl first.”

Ethan watched and did nothing when two vampires dashed behind him. One grabbed Samantha and the other launched a punch at him. Ethan gracefully dodged the attack and the two vampires took Samantha to Olivia.

“You see kid, my crew and I were passing by when I picked up a very unusual aura. I traced it back here but can’t seem to determine who was projecting it.”

Interesting Ethan thought. At first, he thought Niles had tracked his aura but seeing as he was still emitting small bursts of power, Ethan realized that it wasn’t his aura Niles had tracked.

Ethan looked at Samantha who was trying to struggle out of Olivia’s firm grip. There was nothing usual with her human aura, save the fact that fear and confusion accompanied it. If the unusual aura Niles spoke about belonged to Samantha then how in the realms did Ethan fail to sense it?

“You are quite something, aren’t you Kid?” Niles said, drawing Ethan’s attention. “Your little girlfriend here is trouble and you don’t look even the least bit concerned.”

Olivia grabbed Samantha by her neck and made her face Ethan. Samantha couldn’t struggle anymore. She stared at Ethan with desperate eyes; almost as if she was begging him to help her.

“Under normal circumstances, I would have you do as you wish the human,” Ethan said. “But the girl has kindled my curiosity. So be good vampires and let us go about our business. I would much rather avoid unpleasantness on such a fine day.”

Annoying laughs and chuckles emerged from the vampires surrounding Ethan.

“Perhaps I didn’t hear you correctly,” Olivia said, laughing. “It almost sounded like you’re threatening us.”

“Oh I don’t know what you are kid,” Niles added. “But I think you need to be taught a lesson on respecting your elders.”

Olivia’s sharp white canines lengthened and she slowly pressed her mouth against Samantha’s neck. The three vampires standing next to her started making their way toward Ethan. One of them, a young woman, carried in her right hand a large blade with a black hilt. The deadly look in her brown eyes strangely reminded Ethan of Kyla and he found himself wondering what his annoying friend was up to in the realm of Lideth.

“Any last words?” the woman asked, interrupting Ethan’s chain of thoughts.

Ethan took a good look at the female vampire. “Would you love to hear the rather tragic tale of the last creature to ever ask me that question?”

The two other vampires stood on both Ethan’s right and left sides; a sad attempt at cornering him no doubt.

“You have some nerve kid,” the woman said, raising her sword. “Shame... I kind of like you.”

She swung her sword so fast that normal humans couldn’t have followed the motion of the weapon. But Ethan was no normal human... or creature for that matter.

The woman’s eyes widened when Ethan blocked the sword with just his left index finger. She pulled her sword back and slashed at Ethan’s neck. However, the sword rebounded and didn’t even leave a scratch on his neck. The folly in wielding human-made, non-enchanted, weapons against the Chimera, Ethan thought with a smirk.

“What are you?” the vampire said, trembling and stepping back.

The male one on his right launched a kick but Ethan grabbed him by the leg and threw him in the direction of Niles, the irritating vampire that just stood watching until now. Niles was astute enough to know that Ethan had thrown the vampire with a great amount of force. However, he still raised his hands and tried grabbing his comrade. It was a futile attempt to say the least because both Niles and his friend ended up being flung through the side of a very large tree. Nile’s back was broken and red blood was flowing out of the large cut on the side of his head.

“Niles!” Olivia shouted, leaving Samantha and running for her husband.

The rest of the vampires came charging at Ethan. Ethan sent out a large wave of power and all the vampires halted their advance. Samantha run to Ethan and stood behind him.

Ethan could see the fear in the vampires’ eyes. “Unless one of you seeks to be familiarized with the fine art of dismemberment I suggest you all leave immediately.” He knew what they had seen... the deep blood-red glow in his eyes; a glow that only he had.

“You will pay for this!” Olivia snarled.

“Olivia stop,” Niles ordered, holding Olivia’s hand. His wound appeared to have started healing and the friend he had saved earlier was already on his feet.

Helped by his wife, Niles stood up.

“I have only ever seen that look on one other creature... Claudia,” Niles said.

“The name of your recently departed friend no doubt,” Ethan said, walking towards Niles. “I never had the pleasure of meeting the girl but I hear she met her end at the hands of the Hunters. Don’t tell me you’re on a vendetta against the people you took away your ‘friend’?”

“Look, I just came to mourn her death that’s all,” Niles replied. “When my wife and I were turned in Vampires almost five thousand years ago, she was the one who saved us and helped us survive. Besides, I don’t have to have to seek revenge... I heard that the bastard who ratted her out to the Hunters is dead; killed by the Fire Demon, Richard Thane. And as for the Hunters, I’ve heard that hundreds have gone into hiding after the Chi...”

“After the what, Niles?” Ethan asked, a smirk forming across his face.

“Everybody get back,” Niles commanded.

Niles seemed to have finally figured out what he was up against.

“What are you talking about honey,” Olivia said. “The Midnight Owls never back away from a fight.”

“This is not a fight we can win Olivia,” Niles replied.

“We can’t know unless we try,” Olivia retorted, her face burning red with anger.

“Olivia!” Niles shouted. Not only Olivia but even the rest of the vampires were taken aback when Niles raised his voice. Perhaps, emotional outbursts weren’t a norm for the pathetic creature.

“Olivia,” Niles said, more calmly. “In all the time we spent around Claudia, even just before we went our separate ways, the was one creature she warned us never to cross paths with.”

“You mean”

Olivia looked at Ethan more analyzing this time.

“Oh my God,” she said. “He always dressed in red and walks with a blue crystal around his neck.”

“That doesn’t even rhyme,” Ethan said. “But then again, Kyla was never any good at poetry... though there is poetry in the chaos she always wreaks in her wake.”

“Kyla... Claudia’s sire.... the one who turned her into a vampire,” Niles said. “Please forgive us. I didn’t know that it was you... Ethan; the one who single-handedly vanquished the Dark Trinity.”

At the mention of his name, the vampires surrounding Ethan and Samantha began to retreat, murmuring among themselves. Clearly, they had all heard of him.

“As I said, I am not in the mood for unpleasantness today. And you seem well-informed about a lot of things,” Ethan said.

“Information gathering is what we as the Midnight Owls pride ourselves in doing... among other things,” Niles replied.

“Earlier you said that you were here to mourn Claudia’s demise. But that’s not the only reason you’re here, is it?”

“How can you tell?”

“Call it a Chimera’s guess,” Ethan replied.

“Well, I...”

“I didn’t ask you for the details,” interrupted Ethan. “Your business is yours alone. So long as it you don’t get in my way you get to keep your heads.”

“I keep that in mind,” Niles replied. “Come guys.”

Niles and the rest of the vampires eventually left.

“Ahem...” Ethan coughed when he realized that Samantha had firmly gripped his arms, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Samantha let him go and moved backward.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I am not in a murderous mood today, am I?” said Ethan.

“Why did you save me?” Samantha asked.

Ethan placed in hands in the pockets of his leather coat. “Weren’t you listening to what I said earlier? You have sparked my curiosity.”

“Why?”

“Well, that’s just the thing, Rabbit. I don’t know. Ashley intrigues me because she’s a half-breed but you... human yet probably so much more. You are a mystery in disguise.”

Perhaps, it was just him but Ethan was sure he saw Samantha smile at him.

“I... uh... need to head back to school,” she said.

“Well, I am not keeping you here am I?” Ethan replied.

Samantha walked past Ethan and into a thicket. She suddenly came back and said, “Thank you, by the way. For yesterday and for today.”

“It most certainly was done from the goodness of my heart,” Ethan said.

“Still, thanks Ethan,” she said.

Samantha quickly left and once again, Ethan was all alone.

He sensed a presence in the thicket behind him.

A growl came from the creature.

“I see,” Ethan said. “So you’ve found yourself a Demon Master in this town.

Another growl resounded.

“Interesting... He is also connected to the Midnight Owls? It seems the little mermaid has a very peculiar set of friends. Keep a close eye on him. I will entrust his protection to you. If all goes as intended an old foe of ours might soon pay him a visit.”

The presence faded.

Ethan sighed.

Things are falling into place.

This encounter with Samantha and the Midnight Owls was enlightening in many ways and Ethan now had a good idea of where he was going to strike next.

...

And the mystery continues.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter guys.

Some info:

Ashley’s abilities as Water Element Master allow her to manipulate water in almost any way she pleases. She can freeze her opponents, shape water and form frozen weapons like her favorite Ice Sword which she used in the fight against Sebastian. She can also envelop her enemies in water, and fire projectiles of ice or liquid water... basically, she’s a mermaid water-bender :-)

Happy reading!!!