Breeders of Darkness (parts)
PROLOGUE
A drop of blood in each of the children’s marks. Forever this will bear a curse on her.
She knew it. She closed her eyes as if having second thoughts on what she is about to do.
She took a deep breath. A very deep one.
Then a sudden surge of fear enveloped her trembling body as she glanced around the sacred room of her masters. It was a dark, circular room made of gold.
She shivered. She knows she should not be here.
And she knows… she should not have brought with her the sacred ones.
The sacred ones.
But they are all so innocent! She looked at the six little faces in front of her. She could not bear to see them accept the second mark of the beast because she knows what that will mean.
No escape.
Eternal subjection of their souls to the dark side.
She does not want that. She had known the mothers of these children. She had taken care of them when they were still carrying the sacred ones with them.
Oh how beautiful the mothers of these children were! Innocent Marquees.
Innocent turned into victims.
They have been victims of the Rite of the clan.
The Rite of the clan. This clan whom she and most of her people have been serving for centuries.
She shook her head. She felt another pity for the good-as-dead mothers of the sacred ones. The victims. The real victims.
Victims. Not blessed. Blessed as what the masters call them.
She laughed bitterly. Blessed? Where are they now? Nonexistent. Without their souls. Souls which the clan has gotten…no… stolen… and then and stored in their Gobstones.
Filthy little Gobstones. So full of crying souls searching for freedom. Rendering the owners unbounded powers and deathless bodies.
Velice calmed herself. Tried to free herself of emotions. Tried to forget for a moment all the things she knew and all the things she had witnessed.
She listened for noises. She heard nothing.
She proceeded with her ritual.
She got a small knife on her small satchel and cut her thumb. Dark blood oozed out. Carefully, she put drops of her blood on the marks in the sacred ones’ left shoulders while muttering enchantments that the Elders of her people had taught her.
The Altar of the Sacrosanct, where the children were silently placed, suddenly glowed at the same time as the sacred ones’ shoulders glowed.
Velice smiled… as if enchanted.
“Very cunning, Velice.” A deep, teasing voice said.
She stopped.
Surprised at the sound of the voice.
Scared so suddenly.
The altar lost its glow and so did the marks on the shoulders of the sacred ones.
Velice’s hood fell from her head as she felt the owner of the voice come near her.
Velice prayed for her soul and for the safety of the sacred ones. She closed her eyes, ready for her death.
But it did not strike.
She slowly opened her eyes. She saw a pair of pale red eyes staring down fondly at her.
Oh how handsome that face is. And how terrifying.
She cleared her throat, avoiding his gaze. “Y-young master Athero…”
He smiled. “Yes, Velice? What are you doing with my Bloods? Does my sister, Mistress Amora, know what you are doing with her babies? How about the Master, Nathalio?”
Velice kept her cool. She tried to remain calm though her heart is beating very fast.
How ironic for a half-vampire. She said sarcastically to herself. She looked at the Grand Clock near the altar. She only has a few minutes left before she can accomplish her goal.
She looked at Athero straight in the eyes.
“I am sending them in the forbidden land, young Master.” She knows there is no sense in denying it because she is already caught in the act. The altar is used only for two reasons: for sacredization and for travel to the forbidden land.
And the babies have already been sacredized only a few days ago.
Athero laughed softly as he put his hands into Velice’s neck. She did not breathe. Athero’s nails are so long and sharp that a dug of them in her throat can kill her mercilessly and instantly.
“You know, Velice. I can kill you right now and give your soul to my Gobstone. You will be a precious part of it. Its flame will look pretty with your pretty soul added to it.”
Velice swallowed hard, but she answered her young master. “Kill me, young master. If I won’t be able to do this, my life is of no use already.”
“Why?” She was surprised at the sound of the voice. It was so close to her ears. She did not notice how Athero had transferred behind her from in front of her with a blink of an eye.
But then he is a Sacred one. He is a Marqueesa. He is gifted with something, that she, Velice, who is only a Marquee, will never have.
A Marquee is a low form of their kind. A Marqueesa is a high form. They are half-vampires and half-witches. Their dark breed was created when an ancient vampire, Chantor, fell in love with an ancient witch, Arliak. Their forms have been regarded low by both the pure witches and pure vampires, calling them half-breeds.
But that was before these two powerful ancient dark breeds had discovered that these ‘half-breeds’ can be more powerful than them. Refusing to accept the new dark breed as like their own yet also refusing to engage into a fight with them, made the two ancient pure breeds treat the new breed civilly.
“Young master, I do not wish for the sacred ones to receive their second mark of the beast.”
Athero’s eyes gleamed as if he is delighted.
“Velice, Velice. You are talking nonsense. They are destined to receive the second. The third. The fourth. And the fifth, which will give them eternal glory. They are the chosen ones, Velice. They will be a whole lot greater than your kind. And even my kind when they receive the fifth mark.”
Velice can now feel Athero’s breath at the back of her neck.
She shivered, but answered Athero calmly. “They are not destined to be like that. They can be just Marqueesas like you. They need not receive the fifth. T-the fifth mark means evil. K-killing… will b-be their goal. Bloodshed will be their life. That is not for them! They will be worse than… than the pure vampires!”
Athero laughed louder than before as if mocking Velice’s last words. “Isn’t that what vampires are really for, Velice? We are all for bloods. And what will you do? Send them to the forbidden land? What will they do there? Live just like those ordinary, worthless mortals? No, Velice. They do not deserve to be like that. They deserve to be at the top. Our keys to rule the underworld. The hidden world. The Dark World. Or what those mortal fools call the Land of the Dead and Beasts. We will finally be accepted by the other breeds of the Underworld. We will be respected. Our ancestors had worked hard for these. Bidding their time. Waiting for the Blessed. Until we all found them. The mothers of these sacred ones. You have seen the marks on them. You have also seen the altar glowed red when their children, the sacred ones, were put into it for sacredization. They are special. You can’t stop them from their destinies.”
She looked at him with the pride of a Marquee even though she is scared.
“Y-you… need not tell me all of these, young master. I-if you will kill me… k-kill me now. I-I… will send them to the mortal world as I intended to do. You have to kill me to stop me.”
Velice closed her eyes. She just prayed that someone will take over her task. She knows there are many of them. Her mother told her that if she failed, others will continue. There are a lot of them who would not want their kind to rule over the Dark World because it means eternal evil. Not all of them are evil. They are maybe half-vampires and half-witches, but they are not totally evil.
She waited for her death. A tear went down her cheeks. A bitter smile crept on her lips.
At least she will die in the hands of the Marqueesa she admires the most.
Young master Athero. The dream of every woman Marquee and every woman Marqueesa.
So young. So handsome. So strong.
So unlike his older brother Aphustus, who really deserved to be called a beast.
She readied herself. For her death. She knows it will be very quick as the young master is known for his mercy.
But then instead of sharp nails or teeth in her neck or the dreadful feeling of the removal of her soul, she felt soft lips meeting her own.
Velice found herself opening up for the kiss. The altar and the sacred ones were left forgotten for a second.
Then Athero removed his lips from hers and laughed. “You are so beautiful to be killed, Velice.” He ran a hand on her smooth cheeks. Before she could stop herself, she held his hand.
“Falling for your young master, huh, Velice?”
Velice dropped his hand as if finally waking up from a trance. Athero smiled. He looked so dangerous yet so attractive. She looked away.
“Y-young master, if you may be a little kind, if you have to kill me, kill me. If not, go away and l-let me finish my task. I-I do not have enough time left. Your sister and the Master will wake up any time from now and I will fail with my task.”
Athero backed away, which surprised Velice. “Do it then.”
Velice looked at him for a second as if suspicious, then focused on the altar as she prepared it again. She does not have time left. Whether Athero is playing with her or is serious, she has to do what she is supposed to do.
“You can kill me later, young master. I’ll just finish this.”
He did not say anything.
Velice began with her ritual again. She muttered a few enchantments. Then the marks from the babies’ shoulders lit again and so did the altar. She muttered the last few words and waited for the altar to transport the babies into the forbidden land.
Nothing happened.
She tried again. She put more of her blood on the babies’ shoulders.
But nothing happened.
“Velice… oh Velice…”
Velice looked back at Athero, surprised that he was smiling.
Then Athero went near her, got the small knife from the side of the altar, cut himself, and dropped his own blood on the shoulders of the sacred ones then smiled at Velice.
“Do it again.”
Velice listened to him. She muttered the spells again. Everything that happened before happened except that the babies are now floating in midair and are slowly vanishing one by one into thin air. Velice looked at Athero. He went near her as they watched the babies… until all of them vanished.
The altar ceased to glow.
“So long my Bloods. I know we will meet again someday.” She heard Athero mutter.
Velice cleaned the small knife they used for their blood quietly through a spell. She knows that Athero is watching her from behind. She took a deep breath then faced him. “How did you know that the altar needed a Marqueesa blood, Young Master?”
Athero’s eyes gleamed in the dark. “You should learn a lot more, Velice. Anyway, remember what you promised me?”
She swallowed the lump on her throat. She promised he could kill her after her task. She nodded and went near him. “Of course, young master. You can kill me now.”
Velice closed her eyes. At least I finished my task.
Her death did not come. Athero kissed her again. She gave in again, too.
“So long, Velice. Go home, now. My sister and her husband are both awake.”
Velice opened her eyes and realized that she was being embraced by Athero. She pulled away. She averted her eyes from him.
“I will, young master. And… thank you.”
Athero just nodded. He waited for Velice to leave the sacred room before performing spells that can conceal what had just happened in the room. He vanished into thin air just before Amora and Nathalio appeared into the room.
A scream of angered terror crept up the whole castle, as the Master and Mistress discovered the loss of the sacred ones.
I.
Girls’ eyes followed them as they entered the campus. They were eyes of admiration. The tallest one grinned at the four others. Three smiled back at him. The youngest one barely nodded.
“You five, creating campus chaos again, huh?” someone asked from behind them. They looked back and saw the smiling face of Walter, a nerdy classmate, looking very tall and skinny. Four smiled back, while the other one simply stared. Walter went near them and patted the tallest one’s shoulder. “Still does not want to join the wrestling team, huh, Marlow?”
Marlow grinned. “No, buddy. Thank you. Try Reese and Vermont.” He pointed to his other two friends, who are blonde twins. The two, however, shook their heads both at the same time. They answered Walter at the same time also.
“It sucks, Walt.”
Marlow laughed. “Try Serp then, Walt.”
Walt is just about to try his luck on Serp, the other handsome part of the five-male group, but he cut Walt’s words while shoving back his short, brown hair.
“I hate the men on your team, Walt. It will end up as a war zone unless you kick that Vince and his metrosexual friends off the team.”
“But Serp--”
Serp put a hand on Walt’s mouth before he can say anything. “I won’t, okay? Whatever you do, I won’t.”
Walt sighed. This group of guys had been the favorite target of almost all the clubs and teams at their university because their looks, their built, and their faces will surely be an advantage to any club or team.
But this group also proves to be the hardest to persuade.
Then his face lit up when he remembered that there is still one left to convince. He went near him to try his luck.
But before he can even deliver his most convincing speech, a hand went to his face, making him drop his eyeglasses. “Chase! I was just--”
Chase, usually the quietest member of the group, answered him. “I am so sorry, Walt. I do not have time for that. Why don’t you just try other guys out there? I am sure you’ll find a lot of them.”
Walt’s shoulders drooped. Marlow put a hand on his shoulders just as they were approaching the entrance of the building. “What’s the problem, Walt?”
Walt looked at him, almost teary-eyed. “I promised the team I’ll get you.”
“What?! You know very well as to give a promise to any team” Serp asked, incredulous. It is a common knowledge at the campus that any team or club is really a brotherhood. Brotherhood means trust and one does not want to destroy a brotherhood’s trust.
Walt just did. Promising his teammates something, which he knows is a battle lost since the beginning of the throwing of the first spear.
Walt stuttered as five set of eyes looked at him for explanation. “Y-you… s-see… g-g-g-uys… well…”
“Well?” Marlow asked, his handsome face frowning. “You know this will cause you trouble, Walt. But we really could not help you. We are not really into these things.”
“W-well…”
“Well why not? You are all so popular and good-looking that you should be on any team. Couldn’t you see? Teams want you on them. No, that’s an understatement… teams are dying to have you on them.”
They all turned (except Chase) to look at the owner of the voice. This time it was the group of cheerleaders who are in front of them. Jessie, the captain of the squad, was the owner of the voice and she was looking straight at Marlow.
Trying her luck. Reese said to himself. Vermont grinned. Serp stifled a laughter. Chase’s lips twitched to one side, while Marlow tried to ignore Reese’s comment on his mind.
They can all read each other’s minds.
Marlow smiled awkwardly. “Thank you for the flattering remark, Jessie. You want to excuse us, we have a class to catch. See you later.”
“Bye, Marlow,” she said. Posing a little to reveal her shapely, tanned legs.
Marlow smiled and looked at his friends. They followed him, trying to keep straight faces.
As they turned a corner, Walter started babbling. “Whoah. Did you see those legs? God. And those hips. Wow. They are being offered to you for free while I have to pay millions just to make one of them raise a skirt for me just to catch a glimpse of a leg.”
Reese and Vermont rolled their eyes. Vermont shook his head. “Those are not our types, Walt.”
“Then who are?” Walt asked.
As if it was meant to be answered, they passed the college paper office. An informal meeting was going on presided by the Editor-in-Chief.
“This org is definitely a power org. Look at them. All girls and yet they are the scariest people on campus. You would not want to be in Annie’s column or in Kira’s,” Walter said, oblivious of the attention the newspaper staff is suddenly getting from most of the guys.
As if hearing her name, Annie, the Editor-in-Chief glanced at the corridor. She caught Marlow’s eyes and she smiled at him. He smiled back genuinely. Annie asked someone to take over the meeting as she went near the group and talked to Marlow.
Walter looked from Annie to Marlow curiously when he heard two other voices, asking him to go out of their way.
They were carrying a stack of papers. One is Mandy, a tall, brown-haired columnist, greeted the guys enthusiastically as she entered the room first. Reese followed her with his gaze as his twin shook his head. The other girl, the petite, black-haired quiet one, simply nodded, went inside and sat beside Mandy. Serp nudged Chase. He did not say anything, but he followed the girl with his eyes. As if sensing his eyes on her, she looked at him. They looked at each other for a long time, but the girl removed her eyes first as Mandy asked her about something.
Walter looked at Chase strangely and then asked him casually. A little too casually. “That Kira is something, isn’t she? She is the most hated journalist yet she is the most respected. You know him, Chase?”
Chase removed his eyes from Kira and started walking away. Serp smiled as he followed him. Walter is obviously getting a scoop. Almost everyone knows that Kira is the only girl in school whom Chase gets along with, though most are speculating if they are dating.
Walter is trying to know that so he will have a little something for his teammates even if it is not the assurances of Marlow and the others’ joining their team.
Vermont nudged his twin and Reese reluctantly followed, finally tearing his eyes off Mandy. Marlow caught up with them a few seconds later. He noticed that Chase was quiet again. He looked at Serp for an answer. Serp nodded.
Marlow put a hand on Chase’s shoulders and brought him away from the group, walking ahead from the group.
“Bro, why don’t you just tell her how you feel?”
Chase shook his head. “Tell whom? That fickle journalist? What is there to tell, bro? Nothing.”
“Yeah, fine. So you are telling me that she isn’t special to you when you had been acting like a man with permanent insomniac these past few nights because you two are not talking to each other? And even though you and she are always fighting, you two still spend a lot of time with each other.” Then Marlow smirked. “You don’t even call yourselves friends. Then what are you two?”
Chase looked at Marlow seriously, his eyes suddenly turning a pale red. It is an indication of emotions flaring up.
Marlow pulled him sharply and whispered. “Will you control your emotions?”
Chase’s eyes went back to blue. “Sorry.”
Marlow nodded. They entered the classroom quietly.
Kira excused herself from the meeting and went to the restroom. She has seen Chase again. She is not talking to him right now because they had a fight last week over an article she had written. Chase is her closest male friend and he got so worried for her last week when she had exposed the wrongdoings of a fraternity in her column, not naming the members, though giving obvious clues. Chase and she had a clash after the issue came out. It was a quiet clash. They just looked at each other with dagger-eyes, with no words coming out from their mouths. That is how they fight. Chase’s friends find it weird but she and Chase are able to know what they want to say and what they feel just by looking at each other’s eyes.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She felt so angry at Chase that her eyes had turned into pale red again. It was a blessing in disguise that Annie had diverted the other’s attention when she saw Kira’s eyes turn red.
Annie knew her secret because Annie is just like her.
She washed her face, closed her eyes, and tried to control her emotions. When she opened them, they are already back into their black color. She went out of the restroom, unmindful of the pairs of eyes watching her every move.
After classes, Chase declared to his friends that he will stay for a while. Marlow nodded. He, Serp, and the twins vanished into thin air in front of Chase. He went back inside the school into the college paper office.
Mandy saw him first. He was standing at the corridor and Mandy came out first.
“Whoah! Chase, you scared me.”
Chase answered her seriously. “I am sorry.”
Mandy nodded and smiled. “See you tomorrow, Chase.”
Annie was the second to the last who came out. “Kira, are you sure you’ll be okay?” He heard Kira answered. Annie closed the door and came face-to-face with Chase.
“Oh, Chase! You gave me a fright,” Annie said, touching Chase’s chest. There was a sudden reaction. It was as if they were being electrified. Annie jumped. Chase’s face reveals bewilderment.
“W-what was that?” Annie asked. Chase shook his head. They were silent for a few moments. Then Annie just laughed it off.
“Maybe it’s just a chemical reaction,” she said while saying goodbye. Chase smiled a little… and he rarely smiles.
Annie looked at him, studying him for a moment. “You should smile often, Chase. Your face lights up when you do. See you around.” She turned her back.
Chase could not understand it but he felt a light feeling because of Annie’s words. He shook his head and waited for Kira. He could see her inside. She is still encoding some articles. He cursed silently, unintentionally setting a potted plant on fire. Kira seemed to sense it that she went outside. Chase, acting on impulse, immediately set the plant back on its original state, but failed to hide himself so Kira saw him.
“Oh. It’s you,” she said passively then turned her back and entered the room, but she left the door open. Chase took it as a sign that he can come in so he did. He sat down on Mandy’s chair.
“I’ll wait for you. No buts. We have to talk,” he said.
Kira looked at him. “Who told you there is a but? I will be late. I promised Annie I’ll finish the articles.”
“I said I’ll wait.”
“Fine.”
Annie looked at the mark on her shoulders. She is standing in front of her mirror, naked. The skin just below it is aching for quite some time as if it needs something to be put over it. The mark, on the other hand seemed darker than usual. It’s now a clear letter M. She had asked her aunt about it, but all she said was she got it already when she was born. When she told her aunt that it was glowing one time, a look of worry creased over her face, but it seemed so fast that she thought she had just imagined it. Her aunt did not believe her and seemed to change the topic every time she opens it up.
She remembered telling Kira about it. Kira and she are the same. They are both different. She knew that Kira’s eyes turns into the color of pale red when she is feeling a strong emotion just like awhile ago when she saw Chase. She knew they had a fight a few days ago and they are not talking to each other. Kira had understood her. She had asked her friend the reason for her easy acceptance of her abnormalities, but Kira seemed reluctant to explain further so she did not bug her friend.
Annie looked at herself again. She hasn’t been that true to Kira. She never told her that she can do a lot of other things that normal people can’t do like read other people’s minds and even see them even though they are still very far from her.
And also, her eyes turn pale red when she feels strong emotions. She doesn’t understand yet why this happens to her and to Kira. She can’t tell her friend yet. She wants to have answers first before anything else.
She really trusts Kira though because Kira trusts her also. Even though she has not been totally honest with her.
She just can’t. It may be too much for Kira to take.
She shook her head. She covered her mark with a gauze pad again and put on a shirt. She sat down on the bed and wondered if Kira is also hiding something from her. She had noticed that her friend has been a little distracted lately, and she knows it is just all about her fight with Chase. It also has to be about something else.
She cursed herself. Then she felt that emotion again. This time she did not look at herself in the mirror because she knows she will only see a pair of pale red eyes.
Marlow, Reese, Vermont, and Serp arrived at the manor. The five of them grew up together, raised by an uncle whom they never knew. This uncle took them in his own home and gave them shelter, food, and actually everything they need. He even had them go to school.
But they never saw him. He is always away. A guardian, named Elvis, who is already very old but still full of vigor and unexplained energy, is their link to him. Elvis goes away once a week to report everything to their said uncle and to relay messages to them from him. When asked why their uncle would not see them, Elvis just says that he has too many businesses to attend to that he does not have time to visit his favorite ‘sons’.
Reese opened the door. Elvis is away for the week and they have the manor all to themselves.
Vermont turned on the lights in the chandelier with a flick of his fingers and the four of them sat in front of the fireplace.
“Chase won’t make it to dinner, will he?” asked Reese as he chewed an apple he has summoned from the kitchen. Marlow grinned and shook his head.
“He has another fight with Kira.”
Serp laughed. “We have to make our own dinner. He won’t cook for us after just engaging to another clash of wills with his favorite enemy.”
“It’s a good thing that Chase can control his emotions when he’s with her or else Kira should have known by now what we are and should have had us printed in the school paper already.”
“Nah… she won’t do that. She likes us, especially Chase even though she won’t admit it,” Serp piped in a light voice. “But then--”
His words had been cut by the sudden pain in his arms. His friends were also grimacing with pain.
“Marlow, this is getting very frustrating… ow… what did Elvis say when you asked him about this?” Serp asked Marlow, who was clutching his arms.
“He said he’ll ask the town witchdoctor or something. Though I really noticed a gleam on his eyes when I told him about this,” Marlow answered. Then he looked at each of his friends. “You know what? Sometimes I can say that Elvis knows something we don’t even though he keeps on denying it. I mean we are not children anymore for us to believe him that uncle took us in for no reasons at all. Especially when he is aware of our…abnormalities.” He meant their mind-talking, their unbelievable strengths and speed, the changing of their eyes’ color when they get emotional… and their unusual liking for almost-rare food.
Reese nodded his agreement as he tore his shirt open while his eyes flamed red. “Goodness, this hurts!” He turned to look at the others, then focused on Marlow. “You are right. So you think uncle can be like us? I mean does he really know who we are so he is trying to protect us?”
“I don’t know, bro. I mean maybe. He can even be our father, but then…” Vermont looked at Serp and Marlow. “I can be your brother, but we certainly don’t look like Serp, Marlow, or Chase. I don’t know.”
Serp laughed humorlessly. “But we look a lot right now, don’t we?” he said, referring to the pale red eyes they are all sporting at the moment.
Everyone kept quiet. Finally, Marlow spoke, looking at the dark mark on Reese’s exposed shoulder, which he knows is so much like his own.
“I think it’s already time for us to know everything. If Elvis really knows something about who we really are, he must confess. Or else…”
Marlow’s eyes turned into a fierce pale red and his nails grew longer. “…we’ll have to make him talk.”
Chase’s arms hurt while he is walking with Kira. He grimaced in pain as they are crossing a bridge. Kira noticed him.
“What is it?” she asked, unable to hide the worry in her voice.
Chase tried to conceal the pain. “N-nothing.” In spite of their constant bickering, he does not want worrying Kira.
Kira did not pursue the subject, but she still made a sarcastic retort.
“Chase’s ego.”
Chase’s eyes flamed red. “What did you say?!”
Kira did not notice it since she is looking straight ahead.
“Your damn ego.”
“You are provoking me, Kira. Stop it or you’ll regret it.”
“Who will? You? You are going to stop me? Fine,” she answered sarcastically and walked faster. Chase cursed under his breath and tried to control his emotions. Kira never fails to provoke his emotions to flare up.
He stayed behind her until they reached her house.
He saw Kira near the gate. A young guy is with him. A guy he knows very well. He smiled. Kira is all grown up now. And so is he. And so are the other four.
He went down to meet Kira and… him.
“I’m here, Chase. Go home now. We can’t talk properly with both our emotions heightened up like this.” Kira’s back was on him. She just can’t let Chase see her eyes.
“Are you alone?” she heard Chase ask.
She shook her head. “My cousin is with me.”
“Go inside. I’ll wait for you to go in.”
She turned around to face Chase. “I am not your---”
“So I see you brought your friend, Kira.”
Chase and Kira turned to look at the owner of the voice.
Then Kira smiled faintly. “Cousin. Ah… yes.” She looked back at Chase.
“This is Chase.”
Chase seemed tongue-tied. He just wanted to nod, but his hand acted on its own accord and took the hand offered by the man in front of him.
“Nice meeting you, Chase. I am Athero,” the man answered. He and Chase looked at each other for a long time. Chase seemed to find him familiar, but he did not show a sign of recognition.
Not now.
So he averted his eyes before they revealed something he can’t reveal yet.
But soon he will. Very soon. He’s just waiting for a sign.
Athero smiled. He invited Chase inside the house. He said no politely and had said farewell immediately.
Kira and Athero followed him with their gazes. As he turned to a corner, Athero brought his attention back to his ‘cousin’, who while still looking straight ahead making him think he is talking to thin air.
“Does he know who you are, Kira?”
Kira shook her head. “No, Sir. I can’t. He might not be able to… accept me.”
Athero looked at her. “And you don’t like that?”
Kira nodded slowly. “I don’t.”
Athero just nodded. Kira went back inside the house. Athero followed her with his gaze.
He remembered when he revealed himself to Kira as her cousin. She believed him, unable to find anyone to believe. He decided to watch Kira more closely. He needs to protect Kira from his sister and her husband more, not because she is the most sacred of the sacred ones… because he actually believed it to be either Marlow or Chase as the two have special talents that they have not found out yet. It was just that Kira needed better protection than the other five sacred ones because when they were being transported, the blood from a baby spilled in the altar, revealing an unclear sign about that baby.
The baby is Kira.
When Velice found out about it from other Marquees who are serving at the castle, she immediately told Athero. He immediately went to the forbidden land to introduce himself as he is (though as a cousin) so he can watch her closely… to protect her more. He has been protecting Kira and the other four ever since they were little. Kira knows him. At least in a certain way. The other four do not.
Velice is protecting the other one. And he must admit she is doing a great job.
He smiled. He came back in their world for Velice. It seemed that one of the babies got enough of her blood that he can’t seem to cast a strong protection over it, so he came back for Velice and brought her with him in the forbidden land. Velice has been taking care of that sacred one for such a long time.
Velice’s absence in the Dark world was never noticed that much. Athero’s, on the other hand is given enough notice by both the Marquees and most especially the Marqueesas. So to cease suspicions, Athero has to go back to their world once in a while. He makes sure though that Kira’s well protected when he is not around. He casts her an invisible spell every time he goes away. And of course, he made sure that Kira got to know at least one of Marlow or Chase, so that one can take care of her whenever he is not around. He has so much faith on their hidden, special gifts.
What he did not count on is Kira being close to both. Though he is not complaining.
The other four, he has sent his own trusted guardian for them. His very own servant, Nemesis, who has undergone a complete transformation.
He laughed. He remembered Nemesis complaining about his new look and new nickname.
Athero looked around the empty street. He cast a spell that will conceal everything that just occurred in that street. He always needs to be careful now, especially because the time for the second mark is to be done. He and Velice must prevent it. His sister and his husband, and most especially his cunning brother, Aphustus should not know where the sacred ones are until the time had passed for the second marking.
He sealed a protector into the area and went inside the house.
Chase felt strange. He has just seen someone for the first time yet it seemed like he knew him all his life.
He is the handsomest man he had ever seen. He doesn’t seem that much older than him. In fact, Kira said he is her cousin. He is very tall, with short, brown, spiky hair and magnificent blue eyes. He seemed kind but there is something in him that reveals a certain mystery. His skin is very pale, yet instead of it making him look weak, his paleness revealed strength and an unexplainable energy.
Who is that man?
He reached a dark corner. Then he disappeared.
A drop of blood in each of the children’s marks. Forever this will bear a curse on her.
She knew it. She closed her eyes as if having second thoughts on what she is about to do.
She took a deep breath. A very deep one.
Then a sudden surge of fear enveloped her trembling body as she glanced around the sacred room of her masters. It was a dark, circular room made of gold.
She shivered. She knows she should not be here.
And she knows… she should not have brought with her the sacred ones.
The sacred ones.
But they are all so innocent! She looked at the six little faces in front of her. She could not bear to see them accept the second mark of the beast because she knows what that will mean.
No escape.
Eternal subjection of their souls to the dark side.
She does not want that. She had known the mothers of these children. She had taken care of them when they were still carrying the sacred ones with them.
Oh how beautiful the mothers of these children were! Innocent Marquees.
Innocent turned into victims.
They have been victims of the Rite of the clan.
The Rite of the clan. This clan whom she and most of her people have been serving for centuries.
She shook her head. She felt another pity for the good-as-dead mothers of the sacred ones. The victims. The real victims.
Victims. Not blessed. Blessed as what the masters call them.
She laughed bitterly. Blessed? Where are they now? Nonexistent. Without their souls. Souls which the clan has gotten…no… stolen… and then and stored in their Gobstones.
Filthy little Gobstones. So full of crying souls searching for freedom. Rendering the owners unbounded powers and deathless bodies.
Velice calmed herself. Tried to free herself of emotions. Tried to forget for a moment all the things she knew and all the things she had witnessed.
She listened for noises. She heard nothing.
She proceeded with her ritual.
She got a small knife on her small satchel and cut her thumb. Dark blood oozed out. Carefully, she put drops of her blood on the marks in the sacred ones’ left shoulders while muttering enchantments that the Elders of her people had taught her.
The Altar of the Sacrosanct, where the children were silently placed, suddenly glowed at the same time as the sacred ones’ shoulders glowed.
Velice smiled… as if enchanted.
“Very cunning, Velice.” A deep, teasing voice said.
She stopped.
Surprised at the sound of the voice.
Scared so suddenly.
The altar lost its glow and so did the marks on the shoulders of the sacred ones.
Velice’s hood fell from her head as she felt the owner of the voice come near her.
Velice prayed for her soul and for the safety of the sacred ones. She closed her eyes, ready for her death.
But it did not strike.
She slowly opened her eyes. She saw a pair of pale red eyes staring down fondly at her.
Oh how handsome that face is. And how terrifying.
She cleared her throat, avoiding his gaze. “Y-young master Athero…”
He smiled. “Yes, Velice? What are you doing with my Bloods? Does my sister, Mistress Amora, know what you are doing with her babies? How about the Master, Nathalio?”
Velice kept her cool. She tried to remain calm though her heart is beating very fast.
How ironic for a half-vampire. She said sarcastically to herself. She looked at the Grand Clock near the altar. She only has a few minutes left before she can accomplish her goal.
She looked at Athero straight in the eyes.
“I am sending them in the forbidden land, young Master.” She knows there is no sense in denying it because she is already caught in the act. The altar is used only for two reasons: for sacredization and for travel to the forbidden land.
And the babies have already been sacredized only a few days ago.
Athero laughed softly as he put his hands into Velice’s neck. She did not breathe. Athero’s nails are so long and sharp that a dug of them in her throat can kill her mercilessly and instantly.
“You know, Velice. I can kill you right now and give your soul to my Gobstone. You will be a precious part of it. Its flame will look pretty with your pretty soul added to it.”
Velice swallowed hard, but she answered her young master. “Kill me, young master. If I won’t be able to do this, my life is of no use already.”
“Why?” She was surprised at the sound of the voice. It was so close to her ears. She did not notice how Athero had transferred behind her from in front of her with a blink of an eye.
But then he is a Sacred one. He is a Marqueesa. He is gifted with something, that she, Velice, who is only a Marquee, will never have.
A Marquee is a low form of their kind. A Marqueesa is a high form. They are half-vampires and half-witches. Their dark breed was created when an ancient vampire, Chantor, fell in love with an ancient witch, Arliak. Their forms have been regarded low by both the pure witches and pure vampires, calling them half-breeds.
But that was before these two powerful ancient dark breeds had discovered that these ‘half-breeds’ can be more powerful than them. Refusing to accept the new dark breed as like their own yet also refusing to engage into a fight with them, made the two ancient pure breeds treat the new breed civilly.
“Young master, I do not wish for the sacred ones to receive their second mark of the beast.”
Athero’s eyes gleamed as if he is delighted.
“Velice, Velice. You are talking nonsense. They are destined to receive the second. The third. The fourth. And the fifth, which will give them eternal glory. They are the chosen ones, Velice. They will be a whole lot greater than your kind. And even my kind when they receive the fifth mark.”
Velice can now feel Athero’s breath at the back of her neck.
She shivered, but answered Athero calmly. “They are not destined to be like that. They can be just Marqueesas like you. They need not receive the fifth. T-the fifth mark means evil. K-killing… will b-be their goal. Bloodshed will be their life. That is not for them! They will be worse than… than the pure vampires!”
Athero laughed louder than before as if mocking Velice’s last words. “Isn’t that what vampires are really for, Velice? We are all for bloods. And what will you do? Send them to the forbidden land? What will they do there? Live just like those ordinary, worthless mortals? No, Velice. They do not deserve to be like that. They deserve to be at the top. Our keys to rule the underworld. The hidden world. The Dark World. Or what those mortal fools call the Land of the Dead and Beasts. We will finally be accepted by the other breeds of the Underworld. We will be respected. Our ancestors had worked hard for these. Bidding their time. Waiting for the Blessed. Until we all found them. The mothers of these sacred ones. You have seen the marks on them. You have also seen the altar glowed red when their children, the sacred ones, were put into it for sacredization. They are special. You can’t stop them from their destinies.”
She looked at him with the pride of a Marquee even though she is scared.
“Y-you… need not tell me all of these, young master. I-if you will kill me… k-kill me now. I-I… will send them to the mortal world as I intended to do. You have to kill me to stop me.”
Velice closed her eyes. She just prayed that someone will take over her task. She knows there are many of them. Her mother told her that if she failed, others will continue. There are a lot of them who would not want their kind to rule over the Dark World because it means eternal evil. Not all of them are evil. They are maybe half-vampires and half-witches, but they are not totally evil.
She waited for her death. A tear went down her cheeks. A bitter smile crept on her lips.
At least she will die in the hands of the Marqueesa she admires the most.
Young master Athero. The dream of every woman Marquee and every woman Marqueesa.
So young. So handsome. So strong.
So unlike his older brother Aphustus, who really deserved to be called a beast.
She readied herself. For her death. She knows it will be very quick as the young master is known for his mercy.
But then instead of sharp nails or teeth in her neck or the dreadful feeling of the removal of her soul, she felt soft lips meeting her own.
Velice found herself opening up for the kiss. The altar and the sacred ones were left forgotten for a second.
Then Athero removed his lips from hers and laughed. “You are so beautiful to be killed, Velice.” He ran a hand on her smooth cheeks. Before she could stop herself, she held his hand.
“Falling for your young master, huh, Velice?”
Velice dropped his hand as if finally waking up from a trance. Athero smiled. He looked so dangerous yet so attractive. She looked away.
“Y-young master, if you may be a little kind, if you have to kill me, kill me. If not, go away and l-let me finish my task. I-I do not have enough time left. Your sister and the Master will wake up any time from now and I will fail with my task.”
Athero backed away, which surprised Velice. “Do it then.”
Velice looked at him for a second as if suspicious, then focused on the altar as she prepared it again. She does not have time left. Whether Athero is playing with her or is serious, she has to do what she is supposed to do.
“You can kill me later, young master. I’ll just finish this.”
He did not say anything.
Velice began with her ritual again. She muttered a few enchantments. Then the marks from the babies’ shoulders lit again and so did the altar. She muttered the last few words and waited for the altar to transport the babies into the forbidden land.
Nothing happened.
She tried again. She put more of her blood on the babies’ shoulders.
But nothing happened.
“Velice… oh Velice…”
Velice looked back at Athero, surprised that he was smiling.
Then Athero went near her, got the small knife from the side of the altar, cut himself, and dropped his own blood on the shoulders of the sacred ones then smiled at Velice.
“Do it again.”
Velice listened to him. She muttered the spells again. Everything that happened before happened except that the babies are now floating in midair and are slowly vanishing one by one into thin air. Velice looked at Athero. He went near her as they watched the babies… until all of them vanished.
The altar ceased to glow.
“So long my Bloods. I know we will meet again someday.” She heard Athero mutter.
Velice cleaned the small knife they used for their blood quietly through a spell. She knows that Athero is watching her from behind. She took a deep breath then faced him. “How did you know that the altar needed a Marqueesa blood, Young Master?”
Athero’s eyes gleamed in the dark. “You should learn a lot more, Velice. Anyway, remember what you promised me?”
She swallowed the lump on her throat. She promised he could kill her after her task. She nodded and went near him. “Of course, young master. You can kill me now.”
Velice closed her eyes. At least I finished my task.
Her death did not come. Athero kissed her again. She gave in again, too.
“So long, Velice. Go home, now. My sister and her husband are both awake.”
Velice opened her eyes and realized that she was being embraced by Athero. She pulled away. She averted her eyes from him.
“I will, young master. And… thank you.”
Athero just nodded. He waited for Velice to leave the sacred room before performing spells that can conceal what had just happened in the room. He vanished into thin air just before Amora and Nathalio appeared into the room.
A scream of angered terror crept up the whole castle, as the Master and Mistress discovered the loss of the sacred ones.
I.
Girls’ eyes followed them as they entered the campus. They were eyes of admiration. The tallest one grinned at the four others. Three smiled back at him. The youngest one barely nodded.
“You five, creating campus chaos again, huh?” someone asked from behind them. They looked back and saw the smiling face of Walter, a nerdy classmate, looking very tall and skinny. Four smiled back, while the other one simply stared. Walter went near them and patted the tallest one’s shoulder. “Still does not want to join the wrestling team, huh, Marlow?”
Marlow grinned. “No, buddy. Thank you. Try Reese and Vermont.” He pointed to his other two friends, who are blonde twins. The two, however, shook their heads both at the same time. They answered Walter at the same time also.
“It sucks, Walt.”
Marlow laughed. “Try Serp then, Walt.”
Walt is just about to try his luck on Serp, the other handsome part of the five-male group, but he cut Walt’s words while shoving back his short, brown hair.
“I hate the men on your team, Walt. It will end up as a war zone unless you kick that Vince and his metrosexual friends off the team.”
“But Serp--”
Serp put a hand on Walt’s mouth before he can say anything. “I won’t, okay? Whatever you do, I won’t.”
Walt sighed. This group of guys had been the favorite target of almost all the clubs and teams at their university because their looks, their built, and their faces will surely be an advantage to any club or team.
But this group also proves to be the hardest to persuade.
Then his face lit up when he remembered that there is still one left to convince. He went near him to try his luck.
But before he can even deliver his most convincing speech, a hand went to his face, making him drop his eyeglasses. “Chase! I was just--”
Chase, usually the quietest member of the group, answered him. “I am so sorry, Walt. I do not have time for that. Why don’t you just try other guys out there? I am sure you’ll find a lot of them.”
Walt’s shoulders drooped. Marlow put a hand on his shoulders just as they were approaching the entrance of the building. “What’s the problem, Walt?”
Walt looked at him, almost teary-eyed. “I promised the team I’ll get you.”
“What?! You know very well as to give a promise to any team” Serp asked, incredulous. It is a common knowledge at the campus that any team or club is really a brotherhood. Brotherhood means trust and one does not want to destroy a brotherhood’s trust.
Walt just did. Promising his teammates something, which he knows is a battle lost since the beginning of the throwing of the first spear.
Walt stuttered as five set of eyes looked at him for explanation. “Y-you… s-see… g-g-g-uys… well…”
“Well?” Marlow asked, his handsome face frowning. “You know this will cause you trouble, Walt. But we really could not help you. We are not really into these things.”
“W-well…”
“Well why not? You are all so popular and good-looking that you should be on any team. Couldn’t you see? Teams want you on them. No, that’s an understatement… teams are dying to have you on them.”
They all turned (except Chase) to look at the owner of the voice. This time it was the group of cheerleaders who are in front of them. Jessie, the captain of the squad, was the owner of the voice and she was looking straight at Marlow.
Trying her luck. Reese said to himself. Vermont grinned. Serp stifled a laughter. Chase’s lips twitched to one side, while Marlow tried to ignore Reese’s comment on his mind.
They can all read each other’s minds.
Marlow smiled awkwardly. “Thank you for the flattering remark, Jessie. You want to excuse us, we have a class to catch. See you later.”
“Bye, Marlow,” she said. Posing a little to reveal her shapely, tanned legs.
Marlow smiled and looked at his friends. They followed him, trying to keep straight faces.
As they turned a corner, Walter started babbling. “Whoah. Did you see those legs? God. And those hips. Wow. They are being offered to you for free while I have to pay millions just to make one of them raise a skirt for me just to catch a glimpse of a leg.”
Reese and Vermont rolled their eyes. Vermont shook his head. “Those are not our types, Walt.”
“Then who are?” Walt asked.
As if it was meant to be answered, they passed the college paper office. An informal meeting was going on presided by the Editor-in-Chief.
“This org is definitely a power org. Look at them. All girls and yet they are the scariest people on campus. You would not want to be in Annie’s column or in Kira’s,” Walter said, oblivious of the attention the newspaper staff is suddenly getting from most of the guys.
As if hearing her name, Annie, the Editor-in-Chief glanced at the corridor. She caught Marlow’s eyes and she smiled at him. He smiled back genuinely. Annie asked someone to take over the meeting as she went near the group and talked to Marlow.
Walter looked from Annie to Marlow curiously when he heard two other voices, asking him to go out of their way.
They were carrying a stack of papers. One is Mandy, a tall, brown-haired columnist, greeted the guys enthusiastically as she entered the room first. Reese followed her with his gaze as his twin shook his head. The other girl, the petite, black-haired quiet one, simply nodded, went inside and sat beside Mandy. Serp nudged Chase. He did not say anything, but he followed the girl with his eyes. As if sensing his eyes on her, she looked at him. They looked at each other for a long time, but the girl removed her eyes first as Mandy asked her about something.
Walter looked at Chase strangely and then asked him casually. A little too casually. “That Kira is something, isn’t she? She is the most hated journalist yet she is the most respected. You know him, Chase?”
Chase removed his eyes from Kira and started walking away. Serp smiled as he followed him. Walter is obviously getting a scoop. Almost everyone knows that Kira is the only girl in school whom Chase gets along with, though most are speculating if they are dating.
Walter is trying to know that so he will have a little something for his teammates even if it is not the assurances of Marlow and the others’ joining their team.
Vermont nudged his twin and Reese reluctantly followed, finally tearing his eyes off Mandy. Marlow caught up with them a few seconds later. He noticed that Chase was quiet again. He looked at Serp for an answer. Serp nodded.
Marlow put a hand on Chase’s shoulders and brought him away from the group, walking ahead from the group.
“Bro, why don’t you just tell her how you feel?”
Chase shook his head. “Tell whom? That fickle journalist? What is there to tell, bro? Nothing.”
“Yeah, fine. So you are telling me that she isn’t special to you when you had been acting like a man with permanent insomniac these past few nights because you two are not talking to each other? And even though you and she are always fighting, you two still spend a lot of time with each other.” Then Marlow smirked. “You don’t even call yourselves friends. Then what are you two?”
Chase looked at Marlow seriously, his eyes suddenly turning a pale red. It is an indication of emotions flaring up.
Marlow pulled him sharply and whispered. “Will you control your emotions?”
Chase’s eyes went back to blue. “Sorry.”
Marlow nodded. They entered the classroom quietly.
Kira excused herself from the meeting and went to the restroom. She has seen Chase again. She is not talking to him right now because they had a fight last week over an article she had written. Chase is her closest male friend and he got so worried for her last week when she had exposed the wrongdoings of a fraternity in her column, not naming the members, though giving obvious clues. Chase and she had a clash after the issue came out. It was a quiet clash. They just looked at each other with dagger-eyes, with no words coming out from their mouths. That is how they fight. Chase’s friends find it weird but she and Chase are able to know what they want to say and what they feel just by looking at each other’s eyes.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She felt so angry at Chase that her eyes had turned into pale red again. It was a blessing in disguise that Annie had diverted the other’s attention when she saw Kira’s eyes turn red.
Annie knew her secret because Annie is just like her.
She washed her face, closed her eyes, and tried to control her emotions. When she opened them, they are already back into their black color. She went out of the restroom, unmindful of the pairs of eyes watching her every move.
After classes, Chase declared to his friends that he will stay for a while. Marlow nodded. He, Serp, and the twins vanished into thin air in front of Chase. He went back inside the school into the college paper office.
Mandy saw him first. He was standing at the corridor and Mandy came out first.
“Whoah! Chase, you scared me.”
Chase answered her seriously. “I am sorry.”
Mandy nodded and smiled. “See you tomorrow, Chase.”
Annie was the second to the last who came out. “Kira, are you sure you’ll be okay?” He heard Kira answered. Annie closed the door and came face-to-face with Chase.
“Oh, Chase! You gave me a fright,” Annie said, touching Chase’s chest. There was a sudden reaction. It was as if they were being electrified. Annie jumped. Chase’s face reveals bewilderment.
“W-what was that?” Annie asked. Chase shook his head. They were silent for a few moments. Then Annie just laughed it off.
“Maybe it’s just a chemical reaction,” she said while saying goodbye. Chase smiled a little… and he rarely smiles.
Annie looked at him, studying him for a moment. “You should smile often, Chase. Your face lights up when you do. See you around.” She turned her back.
Chase could not understand it but he felt a light feeling because of Annie’s words. He shook his head and waited for Kira. He could see her inside. She is still encoding some articles. He cursed silently, unintentionally setting a potted plant on fire. Kira seemed to sense it that she went outside. Chase, acting on impulse, immediately set the plant back on its original state, but failed to hide himself so Kira saw him.
“Oh. It’s you,” she said passively then turned her back and entered the room, but she left the door open. Chase took it as a sign that he can come in so he did. He sat down on Mandy’s chair.
“I’ll wait for you. No buts. We have to talk,” he said.
Kira looked at him. “Who told you there is a but? I will be late. I promised Annie I’ll finish the articles.”
“I said I’ll wait.”
“Fine.”
Annie looked at the mark on her shoulders. She is standing in front of her mirror, naked. The skin just below it is aching for quite some time as if it needs something to be put over it. The mark, on the other hand seemed darker than usual. It’s now a clear letter M. She had asked her aunt about it, but all she said was she got it already when she was born. When she told her aunt that it was glowing one time, a look of worry creased over her face, but it seemed so fast that she thought she had just imagined it. Her aunt did not believe her and seemed to change the topic every time she opens it up.
She remembered telling Kira about it. Kira and she are the same. They are both different. She knew that Kira’s eyes turns into the color of pale red when she is feeling a strong emotion just like awhile ago when she saw Chase. She knew they had a fight a few days ago and they are not talking to each other. Kira had understood her. She had asked her friend the reason for her easy acceptance of her abnormalities, but Kira seemed reluctant to explain further so she did not bug her friend.
Annie looked at herself again. She hasn’t been that true to Kira. She never told her that she can do a lot of other things that normal people can’t do like read other people’s minds and even see them even though they are still very far from her.
And also, her eyes turn pale red when she feels strong emotions. She doesn’t understand yet why this happens to her and to Kira. She can’t tell her friend yet. She wants to have answers first before anything else.
She really trusts Kira though because Kira trusts her also. Even though she has not been totally honest with her.
She just can’t. It may be too much for Kira to take.
She shook her head. She covered her mark with a gauze pad again and put on a shirt. She sat down on the bed and wondered if Kira is also hiding something from her. She had noticed that her friend has been a little distracted lately, and she knows it is just all about her fight with Chase. It also has to be about something else.
She cursed herself. Then she felt that emotion again. This time she did not look at herself in the mirror because she knows she will only see a pair of pale red eyes.
Marlow, Reese, Vermont, and Serp arrived at the manor. The five of them grew up together, raised by an uncle whom they never knew. This uncle took them in his own home and gave them shelter, food, and actually everything they need. He even had them go to school.
But they never saw him. He is always away. A guardian, named Elvis, who is already very old but still full of vigor and unexplained energy, is their link to him. Elvis goes away once a week to report everything to their said uncle and to relay messages to them from him. When asked why their uncle would not see them, Elvis just says that he has too many businesses to attend to that he does not have time to visit his favorite ‘sons’.
Reese opened the door. Elvis is away for the week and they have the manor all to themselves.
Vermont turned on the lights in the chandelier with a flick of his fingers and the four of them sat in front of the fireplace.
“Chase won’t make it to dinner, will he?” asked Reese as he chewed an apple he has summoned from the kitchen. Marlow grinned and shook his head.
“He has another fight with Kira.”
Serp laughed. “We have to make our own dinner. He won’t cook for us after just engaging to another clash of wills with his favorite enemy.”
“It’s a good thing that Chase can control his emotions when he’s with her or else Kira should have known by now what we are and should have had us printed in the school paper already.”
“Nah… she won’t do that. She likes us, especially Chase even though she won’t admit it,” Serp piped in a light voice. “But then--”
His words had been cut by the sudden pain in his arms. His friends were also grimacing with pain.
“Marlow, this is getting very frustrating… ow… what did Elvis say when you asked him about this?” Serp asked Marlow, who was clutching his arms.
“He said he’ll ask the town witchdoctor or something. Though I really noticed a gleam on his eyes when I told him about this,” Marlow answered. Then he looked at each of his friends. “You know what? Sometimes I can say that Elvis knows something we don’t even though he keeps on denying it. I mean we are not children anymore for us to believe him that uncle took us in for no reasons at all. Especially when he is aware of our…abnormalities.” He meant their mind-talking, their unbelievable strengths and speed, the changing of their eyes’ color when they get emotional… and their unusual liking for almost-rare food.
Reese nodded his agreement as he tore his shirt open while his eyes flamed red. “Goodness, this hurts!” He turned to look at the others, then focused on Marlow. “You are right. So you think uncle can be like us? I mean does he really know who we are so he is trying to protect us?”
“I don’t know, bro. I mean maybe. He can even be our father, but then…” Vermont looked at Serp and Marlow. “I can be your brother, but we certainly don’t look like Serp, Marlow, or Chase. I don’t know.”
Serp laughed humorlessly. “But we look a lot right now, don’t we?” he said, referring to the pale red eyes they are all sporting at the moment.
Everyone kept quiet. Finally, Marlow spoke, looking at the dark mark on Reese’s exposed shoulder, which he knows is so much like his own.
“I think it’s already time for us to know everything. If Elvis really knows something about who we really are, he must confess. Or else…”
Marlow’s eyes turned into a fierce pale red and his nails grew longer. “…we’ll have to make him talk.”
Chase’s arms hurt while he is walking with Kira. He grimaced in pain as they are crossing a bridge. Kira noticed him.
“What is it?” she asked, unable to hide the worry in her voice.
Chase tried to conceal the pain. “N-nothing.” In spite of their constant bickering, he does not want worrying Kira.
Kira did not pursue the subject, but she still made a sarcastic retort.
“Chase’s ego.”
Chase’s eyes flamed red. “What did you say?!”
Kira did not notice it since she is looking straight ahead.
“Your damn ego.”
“You are provoking me, Kira. Stop it or you’ll regret it.”
“Who will? You? You are going to stop me? Fine,” she answered sarcastically and walked faster. Chase cursed under his breath and tried to control his emotions. Kira never fails to provoke his emotions to flare up.
He stayed behind her until they reached her house.
He saw Kira near the gate. A young guy is with him. A guy he knows very well. He smiled. Kira is all grown up now. And so is he. And so are the other four.
He went down to meet Kira and… him.
“I’m here, Chase. Go home now. We can’t talk properly with both our emotions heightened up like this.” Kira’s back was on him. She just can’t let Chase see her eyes.
“Are you alone?” she heard Chase ask.
She shook her head. “My cousin is with me.”
“Go inside. I’ll wait for you to go in.”
She turned around to face Chase. “I am not your---”
“So I see you brought your friend, Kira.”
Chase and Kira turned to look at the owner of the voice.
Then Kira smiled faintly. “Cousin. Ah… yes.” She looked back at Chase.
“This is Chase.”
Chase seemed tongue-tied. He just wanted to nod, but his hand acted on its own accord and took the hand offered by the man in front of him.
“Nice meeting you, Chase. I am Athero,” the man answered. He and Chase looked at each other for a long time. Chase seemed to find him familiar, but he did not show a sign of recognition.
Not now.
So he averted his eyes before they revealed something he can’t reveal yet.
But soon he will. Very soon. He’s just waiting for a sign.
Athero smiled. He invited Chase inside the house. He said no politely and had said farewell immediately.
Kira and Athero followed him with their gazes. As he turned to a corner, Athero brought his attention back to his ‘cousin’, who while still looking straight ahead making him think he is talking to thin air.
“Does he know who you are, Kira?”
Kira shook her head. “No, Sir. I can’t. He might not be able to… accept me.”
Athero looked at her. “And you don’t like that?”
Kira nodded slowly. “I don’t.”
Athero just nodded. Kira went back inside the house. Athero followed her with his gaze.
He remembered when he revealed himself to Kira as her cousin. She believed him, unable to find anyone to believe. He decided to watch Kira more closely. He needs to protect Kira from his sister and her husband more, not because she is the most sacred of the sacred ones… because he actually believed it to be either Marlow or Chase as the two have special talents that they have not found out yet. It was just that Kira needed better protection than the other five sacred ones because when they were being transported, the blood from a baby spilled in the altar, revealing an unclear sign about that baby.
The baby is Kira.
When Velice found out about it from other Marquees who are serving at the castle, she immediately told Athero. He immediately went to the forbidden land to introduce himself as he is (though as a cousin) so he can watch her closely… to protect her more. He has been protecting Kira and the other four ever since they were little. Kira knows him. At least in a certain way. The other four do not.
Velice is protecting the other one. And he must admit she is doing a great job.
He smiled. He came back in their world for Velice. It seemed that one of the babies got enough of her blood that he can’t seem to cast a strong protection over it, so he came back for Velice and brought her with him in the forbidden land. Velice has been taking care of that sacred one for such a long time.
Velice’s absence in the Dark world was never noticed that much. Athero’s, on the other hand is given enough notice by both the Marquees and most especially the Marqueesas. So to cease suspicions, Athero has to go back to their world once in a while. He makes sure though that Kira’s well protected when he is not around. He casts her an invisible spell every time he goes away. And of course, he made sure that Kira got to know at least one of Marlow or Chase, so that one can take care of her whenever he is not around. He has so much faith on their hidden, special gifts.
What he did not count on is Kira being close to both. Though he is not complaining.
The other four, he has sent his own trusted guardian for them. His very own servant, Nemesis, who has undergone a complete transformation.
He laughed. He remembered Nemesis complaining about his new look and new nickname.
Athero looked around the empty street. He cast a spell that will conceal everything that just occurred in that street. He always needs to be careful now, especially because the time for the second mark is to be done. He and Velice must prevent it. His sister and his husband, and most especially his cunning brother, Aphustus should not know where the sacred ones are until the time had passed for the second marking.
He sealed a protector into the area and went inside the house.
Chase felt strange. He has just seen someone for the first time yet it seemed like he knew him all his life.
He is the handsomest man he had ever seen. He doesn’t seem that much older than him. In fact, Kira said he is her cousin. He is very tall, with short, brown, spiky hair and magnificent blue eyes. He seemed kind but there is something in him that reveals a certain mystery. His skin is very pale, yet instead of it making him look weak, his paleness revealed strength and an unexplainable energy.
Who is that man?
He reached a dark corner. Then he disappeared.
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