Authors: Shirlee Lewis
“Still trying to claim your mate?” the female asked.
“She’ll come around in time.” And the two laughed.
Tony started swimming toward the waterfall. The others headed toward the rocks where they dove into the water from.
I need to let him know I’m here.
“Tony, we have to get back,” the deep voice said. “Fun times over.”
Straightening my legs, in hopes Tony saw me, I watched as his head came out of the water.
Crap!!
He swam to the rocks and eased himself from the water.
Ah!
I gasped silently.
Tony’s back was covered in slashes. My anger grew within me as I watched the three disappear into the forest.
Swimming toward a low spot, I lifted myself from the water and headed in the direction I saw them go. “Now I wished I wasn’t human,” I said out loud.
I walked until my body collapsed on the forest floor. Slowly taking my backpack from around my shoulders, I noticed the bladder was gone. Thirsty, hungry and tired, I opened my pack. The biscuits were a sheet of white goo lying on top. Dumping the contents of my pack, I noticed the things under the goo were dry, my phone, clothes and money. Gathering them up, I put them in the pack. Looking around I could see the waterfall a few yards behind me. “You have to keep going.” Standing up, my legs began to wobble and eyes began to shut from lack of sleep. My body shook as I took a step and I fell to my knees. “No!! I have to…” and my eyes closed.
I woke up hungry, cold and thirsty. My lips were sun baked and my throat was raw.
I could go back to the pond. No! You have to find Tony.
I’d been lucky so far without inclement weather, but today showed promise of that changing and quick. Gathering my pack, I looked for a clue to let me know I was headed in the right direction. The waterfall wasn’t behind me, but to my left.
I have to make progress today.
Tony was my life. My whole life and I couldn’t live without him. No matter how long it took, I would find him. I made a promise, “I’ll find you Tony even if I take my last breath in this miserable and rainy forest.”
Closing my eyes, I inhaled deep and walked away from the waterfall. The terrain was rugged and thick with over-growth. Rocks covered the path I chose. Up ahead I saw what could have been a trail clear of debris. Hiking over rocks covered with moss, I reached the clearing. Inside the clearing was a small village with several huts and no sign of villagers.
Oh how lucky could I be
.
Walking to the first hut, I noticed the doorway with no door. “Hello,” I called. No answer. Shrugging my shoulders, I walked to the next hut and still no sign of life. The last hut I came too wasn’t built like the others. The hut was round made of sticks tied together with vines wrapped around the sticks. The mud on the outside was falling away from the wall. Long grass made up the roof. Oddly enough it had a door. Knocking on the door, I said, “Hello,
anyone here?” Again no answer, but the door swung open. Looking inside, a table wrapped around a pole in the middle of the hut. A makeshift fireplace against a wall was lit with a glowing fire. Dropping my pack inside the doorway, I closed the door and walked to the fire to warm my hands. Piles of banana leaves lay on the floor with a few rolled up at one end. Settling on the leaves, the door to the hut flew open and a tiny man stepped inside.
Standing up suddenly I looked the frail man over. With his cane he hobbled over to the fire and sat. “You are the woman seeking man taken in the night?”
Looking at him with cautious eyes I didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure if he was asking a question or making a statement.
“I’ve heard of you through whispers in the village,” he continued. “Come follow me.”
Slowly he got up with the help of his cane and went outside. He hobbled to the edge of the forest and stopped. Looking back to see if I was following him, I was standing beside the hut. Waving his hand toward me, I walked to where he stood. Taking his frail hand, he pointed toward the trees. He turned around and hobbled back to his hut and I followed.
Inside the hut, I picked up my pack. The man sat down and drew a circle in the dirt floor. Glancing up at me, he drew an “X” with his cane. Pointing to me, he showed me I was the “X.” I nodded. He drew another “X” and then pointed with his cane toward the place we had come from,
the forest edge. Drawing a straight line from one “X” to the other, stopping at the last one he drew.
“You are not far,” he whispered. “One day in the forest, you find the pale ones.” He took his hands with palms down and waved them at me.
It was my clue to leave.
I got up and walked toward the trees.
Chapter Fifteen
Laughter could be heard as I approached a clearing. Crouching down, moving some vines, I saw a man with outstretched arms on his knees tied between two poles with his head down. The man raised his head. It wasn’t Tony.
Two men in black robes came from the hut carrying whips. In a booming voice, “Will you submit to Freda?”
The man lowered his head and whispered, “Yes.”
Grabbing his hair, the black cloak raised his head. “Yes, what?”
“Yes, I’ll submit.”
The black cloak let go of his hair, his head flopped to his chin. They walked back to the hut and entered.
Could they have done this to Tony?
Several cages lined the back of the clearing in front of the trees, empty. One hut stood adjacent to the cages. Ten feet in front of the hut the man was tied between two poles.
Freda’s not much for comfort.
A black cloak stepped out of the hut with a horn. Three quick blows and vampires c
ame out from the trees, around ten of them. They stood in front of the black cloak and bowed their heads.
Geez! Freda was going overboard.
“Hear ye fellow vamps. Prepare for initiation tonight.”
In unison the vampires said, “Yes, Gidion.”
Gidion returned to the hut.
The vampires cleared a place in front of the tied man and disappeared. Several minutes later, they returned with branches, twigs and vines. Four men, in lightning speed, created two chairs placing them in front of the tied man facing in my direction. Leftover branches were placed in front of the chairs with vampires adding more until the stack was ten feet high.
Now I understand the orange glow from a few nights ago.
Four vampires walked past me carrying a tiger on a bamboo pole with four others carrying a jaguar. Placing them in the cages, the animals lay lifeless barely breathing. The vampires disappeared.
Behind me I heard small giggles from a female and they grew louder. I crouched behind thick brush. “Kala, you need to surrender to me. I’m your mate.”
“Cam, I’m not ready to be anyone’s mate. I want to explore the world.”
Cam ran the backside of his hand against Kala’s face. “Feel the electricity.”
“I don’t feel anything, Cam.”
“You will, my pet,” Cam purred.
Kala giggled and returned to the clearing with Cam on her heels.
My stomach growled. I watched as two heads turned in my direction.
Oh of all the times I need to be quiet, ugh!
Gidion came out of the hut, and I was thankful. Cam and Kala stood at attention and bowed as Gidion walked past. Gidion walked the circle with a satisfied look for tonight’s initiation and back to the hut.
Trees cast shadows upon the clearing. The door to the hut opened. Gidion walked out with the horn and blew three short blasts. Ten vampires stood in front of Gidion with their heads lowered. “The initiation will now begin.”
As the fire glowed, the man raised his head toward the chairs. Two male vampires flanked him on his sides. Freda stood in the doorway of the hut wearing a red ceremonial robe. Looking the clearing over, she nodded toward Gidion. Ten vampires stood behind the chairs as Freda walked out. She turned toward the hut, nodded and said, “Come, my mate.”
A shadow appeared against the wall. Slowly it moved toward the doorway. I gasped as I recognized the man, who appeared in the doorway. Tony. He walked up to Freda and stood. His face, torn and his eyes appeared to be lost. Freda took his hand and they walked to the chairs. Tony sat in the one closet to me. Freda stood and said, “My mate and I welcome you to Ingram’s initiation. He is willing to join our clan upon his free choosing. Please welcome Ingram to the clan.”
Every vampire in unison, except for Tony, said, “Welcome Ingram.” He rolled his eyes and looked toward the trees.
In
the spur of the moment thinking, I placed my hand out of trees and wiggled my fingers. Tony raised his eyebrow and I showed him my face.
He knows I’m here.
Freda took her seat, turned toward Tony and said, “You’ll never have to endure this again.”
Tony looked away from me toward Freda.
Instantly my anger flared and I felt my face get hot as my heart pumped louder in my chest.
Stay calm, Jess.
You need to keep your head straight. Tony will find a way out from here. He had too!
Gidion walked in front of Ingram, raised his hands and stated, “Ingram has chosen to join our clan. To become a fully fledged clan member, Ingram has declared this night he will seek new members for our clan to grow.”
Ingram raised his head with his mouth open.
“He will show no mercy as he infiltrates tribes looking for recruits and to find his mate. Fellow members, take your place for the initiation to begin.”
Now this is stupid
, I thought.
Freda must be desperate to have a clan.
Gidion and the black cloak stood behind and to the side of Ingram. Each vampire one by one formed a single line behind him. “I’ll call your name and you shall initiate Ingram. Cam,” Freda said nodding to him.
Cam came to the front of the line. “Cam, our strongest hunter, initiate Ingram.”
Cam extracted his fangs, laid his hand on Ingram’s shoulder, bent down and penetrated his skin. Ingram screamed and turned to see what was happening to his shoulder. Gidion nodded to the black cloak. Taking his hands, he held Ingram’s cheeks so his head wouldn’t turn.
“Kala,” Gidion called.
Kala stood behind Ingram. “Kala, Cam’s chosen mate, initiate Ingram.”
Kala extracted her fangs, placed her hand on Ingram’s back and penetrated his skin. Ingram screamed.
Freda’s eyes glowed watching Ingram’s initiation. Tony turned toward me and rolled his eyes. I almost laughed out loud. I was disgusted and sick to my stomach watching a helpless man getting bit over and over. When the last vampire initiated Ingram, he was breathing hard and screaming, “I did not want this.”
Freda stood, walked in front of Ingram, placed her hand on his chin and said, “From this night forward, you will address me as Queen Freda. Your blood is now bound to the clan. Each member holds a part of you inside their veins. Your quest begins once you are transformed.”
Ingram’s eyed bugged and so did mine.
Freda leaned toward Ingram with Gidion holding his legs. The black cloak gripped Ingram tighter as Freda’s fangs extracted.
Ingram started screaming “No, I do not want this.”
I held my mouth shut to keep from screaming too.
Freda licked her lips, and then embedded her fangs deep into Ingram’s vein. Ingram’s body started to quiver, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and then his body went limp. Freda released her mouth as blood ran from Ingram’s vein. The black cloak moved Ingram’s head to the other side exposing his neck while Freda embedded her fangs. Ingram’s body jerked and twisted as the venom spread. Releasing her fangs, she licked his blood from her mouth. “Untie him. He isn’t going anywhere.”