Legacy of Darkness (5 page)

The Templar Knights exploded into clouds of dust as they were decapitated and staked in battle. The end game of the battle was to storm the fortress of Acre, the place the Vampires had made there base. No more would these demons hold Kings and Popes to ransom.

Under this disguise of Templar Knights and the veil of a holy quest. The vampires had amassed a vast fortune. A fortune they had used to bring Kings to there knees, now was the time for this to end. Summer was descended from a long line of demon hunters and had been summoned by the Pope himself who had given her this holy mission; destroy the vampires posing as Templar Knights.

The advanced guard of Muslim Saracens had already breached the fortresses defences as Summer on her steed galloped up to the huge castle. Beheading and trampling

several vampires along the way. Summer

As she raced into the main hall she could see the vampire king sitting lazily on his throne surrounded by guards. The king was a strange abomination, so old he had started to look more demon than human. His skin had become gray and leathery his eyes red and his ears pointed. Summer looked in shock at the Vampire

Now it was just Summer alone in the great hall with the King of all Vampires. He stood up from his throne his black robe

“

The vampire King raised the broad sword high over his head, ready to drive it down hard into Summer

Summer jolted up right in bed.
Whoa what was that
she thought to herself as she rubbed her neck? She knew it had all been a dream but it had felt so real, almost as if she had been living the nightmare herself. It felt as if she had been whisked away to another time and country then dropped into the middle of a great battle. Her body was shivering and began to ache as if she had dealt and received every blow for real. Steve was still fast asleep in the bed beside her, so carefully Summer peeled back her sheets and slipped out of bed, walking on her tiptoes she made her way to the bathroom and poured her self a glass of water. As Summer looked at the reflection in the mirror above the sink she saw the face that stared back at her was not her own.

It bore a likeness to her alright but there was certain glow to this woman behind the glass, combined with a strength and a confidence that Summer had never seen in herself. Who ever this reflection belonged to held great power. For a second Summer felt as if she was in a scene straight out of a horror film and as she stretched out to touch the reflection it disappeared as her hand touched the glass. Once again Summer found herself staring at her own image. Summer shook her head trying to clear the cobwebs she was tiered and still reeling from such a powerful dream which was clearly still playing tricks on her. Slowly she took a sip of the water, the pain in her neck was now gone and the drink washed down her thraot effortlessly. Summer took one more sip of water before returning back to bed where Steve was still fast a sleep.

The next morning Summer was woken by Steve who was gently shaking her

“Wake up sleepy head” He smiled as her eyes finally opened

“Huh” Responded a weary Summer “What time is it”

“Almost eleven babe” Steve answered

“Eleven, bloody hell” Summer monaed as she sat up “You should of woken me sooner”

“Why do that? You havent got work, plus your so cute when your sleeping”

“Wierdo” Summer teased with a knowing smile.

“Oh and you got a text by the way” Steve told her

“How long ago?”

“About an hour or so, but I thought they coud wait”

“Did you now” Summer sighed as she reached across to her bedside table and grabbed her phone. The message came from a number she didn’t reccoginse and things became even more cryptic when she read the message.

“Hello” it started “My name is Giles Price and I need to speak to you, I have some important information that you need to hear”

Summer could instantly tell that the sender was a well spoken and educated man as he used full words not breaking them down to text speak. Her interest piqued Summer began to wonder who this Giles Price was and what kind of information he was privy to. Well there was one way to find out, she clicked on to her phones Wi Fi and googgled his name. That course of action soon turned out to be a bust as the search returned seemingly hundreds of Giles Prices from different walks of life. There was no way of knowing which one had just text her. Summer had no choice but to text the number back and see where it lead.

“What kind of information?” Summer responded typing as quick as she could.

The reply was almost instant “Information involving the Jessica Folds case”

Summer stared at her phone wide eyed, how did this guy no about that. They hadn’t even released a statement to the press yet. Adam had insisted on keeping the case as hush hush as possible.

“How do you know about that?” Summer returned hastley

“That doesn’t matter, just meet me in one hour at Joe’s Coffee shop. I‘ll be wearing a pink carnation”

“Damn it” Summer cursed she knew she had no choice but to go and meet this Giles Price, his cryptic messages had made her curious and for all she knew the information he had may be vitally important. It was an offer she knew she couldn’t refuse. Summer put the phone down showered and changed and was out the door in less than twenty minutes, telling Steve she was meeting a girlfriend and would be back soon.

Summer entered Joe’s coffee shop and looked around for a man wearing a pink carnation. She eventually saw him sat in the far corner of the café eyes staring down at the days broadsheet while drinking from a large mug of coffee. He was a handsome man in his late thirties early forties, with slicked black hair and designer glasses he wore a very sharp looking navy suit with the pink carnation pinned to the jacket pocket.

“Mr Price” Summer asked tentivaly as she approached the table

“Miss Richards I persume” Price said as he extended a hand. As Summer expected he was very well spoken with a slight poshness and confidence to his voice

“That’s me” Summer said as she gave Price it a firm handshake

“A pleasure to meet you” he smiled

At least the man seemed nice so far Summer thought to herself as she took a seat at Price’s table.

“Can I get you a drink” Price offered

“No thank you, I would rather we got straight down to business if that’s ok”

“That’s fine by me” Price agreed as he fiddled with his flower as he tried to remove it from his jacket. Finally freeing the carnation he placed the pretty flower on top of his folded up broad sheet and took a sip of his coffee before he began to speak to Summer.

“I assume by now that you have worked out that your killers next target could well be you”

“How the hell do you……” Summer started before Price cut her off

“Look we don’t have time to get into how I know confidential informationa and we both know I’m not going to tell you no matter what you say. But what I am at liberty to discuss is your perporator”

“What do you know about him” Summer pressed

“It’s not a him” Price told her

“So your saying my suspect is female”

“No. I am saying that it’s not human”

“Excuse me” Summer said growing annoyed

“Come on don’t play daft with me you have seen the corpse and read the coroners reports. As much as you loath to admit it there is only one creature that can leave a body devoid of blood with two punctuer wounds in the neck”

“Such creatures don’t exist” Summer said stubbornly

“refusing to call them by name doesn’t make them any less real” Price responded

“Look I didn’t come here to be spoken down to by a ponce like you”

“I apologise” Giles said holding his hands up defensively “I didn’t mean to offend you, but deep down you know I am right. I understand that like any sane person you have tried to push the Vampire theory to the back of your mind adamant that it can’t be true. Many people would of succeded in such practice successfully forgetting about such nonsense. But not you am I right?. No matter how hard you try the word Vampire keeps pushing itself to the forefront of your mind. Do you know why?

“I’m sure your about to tell me” replied a flippant Summer.

“Because its instinct that’s ingrained into your DNA” Price continued ignoring the tone of Summers response. “and buried deep into your sub-consciousness”

“What
are
you on about” demanded an increasingly agitated Summer Richards

“You are the Chosen, you are the Demon Hunter” Price insisted without a hint of humour in his voice

“Are you mad?” Summer asked sternly

“I can asure you I am quite sane” Price replied unflinchingly

“I don’t have to listen to this bullshit” Summer huffed as she stood up from her chair

“Yes you do” Price responded harshly never taking his eyes off the young detective. “Vampire or not the killer is coming for you and if you are not ready he will kill you like the others”

Summer ignored the mad man sprouting out nonsense at the table and turned around walking away as quickly as she could. But the crazy man continued talking raising his voice as she moved away from the table. Telling her that she wasn’t ready and that guns wouldn’t work. He may of said more but Summer didn’t catch the last of it as she hurried out of the café desperate to get away from the mad man. She had a feeling meeting him would be a mistake and unfortunately she had been proven right.

Vampire’s are real and she was supposed to be the Demon Hunter, what was he going to say next that she was the worlds only hope!? What rubbish. Still unable to get her round Giles Prices ramblings Summer climbed into her car and made her way back to Steve’s house which very shorty would become her home too. She smiled as thoughts of Giles Price faded from her mind and she replayed the moment when Steve asked her to move in. She was back in a happy place and her meeting with Giles Price was already a distant memory.

Summer parked her car behind Steve’s Golf like usual, climbed out and walked towards the house. “Strange” Summer thought as she saw that the front door was ajar. “Not like Steve to leave the door open.” Straight away Summer’s cop instincs began to take over as she realised something was very wrong. She ran back to her car and opened the door taking out a can of pepper spray from the glove compartment. Concelaing the spary in her hand Summer climmed back out the car and span around only to find herself face to face with Oliver Bloom.

Wide eyed with shock Summer couldn’t understand how he had crpet up beind her so fast and without her noticing. Instinctively she raised her hand with the concealed Pepper spary but Oliver garbbed her hand before he could use it.

“Let go!” Summer demanded angrily as she tried to prise her hand free, but Oliver had a firm grip and was not letting go. He gave Summer a sinister grin only to be caught off guard as she slapped him hard in the face. He shook it off and laughed at the stunned and now rightly scared Summer. This was going to be another simple kill this job was turning out to be far easier than Oliver had initially thought, but fortunately it had been no less enjoyable for it.

Summer knew she was screwed she had hit the man as hard as she could and it hadn’t even phased him, infact it only served to anger him wich considering her current situation was not good at all.

But just as Summer thought things couldn’t get any worse they did as her attackers face changed right before her eyes. Summer was lost for words as she watched the mans face twist and contort until Oliver’s features no longer resembled that of a man’s. Deep ridges had formed across his cheek bones and brow, his eyes had become an otherworldly yellow and as he opened his mouth he revealed two huge fangs! He was a Vampire!

“No!” Summer gasped in desperation as the Vampire lent in preparing to bite her. In a fit of panic and driven by adrenalin Summer mustered all the strengh she could to push away the much stronger Vampire. Amazingly she was able to force the Creature back. Now it was Oliver’s turn to be stunned as he stumbled back from Summers blow releasing his grip on her hand at the same time. The look of surprise was replaced by anger as he lunged forward throwing a heavy right hand towards Summer. Once again his efforts were tharwted as Summer blocked the punch and squirted the Pepper spary into the Vampire’s eyes. The monster screamed in agony flailing around as he tried to wipe the mace from his eyes when he suddenly busrt into a clud of dust. The Vampires ashes disappeared into the afternoon breeze revealing her savour to be

the familiar figure of Giles Price.

“What the hell!” Summer screamed angrily seemingly forgetting that Price had saved her from the Vampire attack that had occurred just seconds ago “Did you follow me?”

“I saved your life” Price responded bluntly

“You bloody followed me!” Summer retorted angrily

“Again I saved your life. Do you really think your pepper spray would have stopped him.”

“did you set that up to prove some sort of point”

“now who’s crazy” exclaimed a rather amused Price “we both know that’s not true. I knew a Vampire attack on you was imminent so yes I followed you home and it’s a damn good job I did “

“It’s all true isn’t it” Summer sighed as she conceded defeat and lowered her defences

“I’m afraid so” Price replied sorrowfully “But you must realise what just happened?”

“How do you mean” asked a puzzled Summer

“I mean you over powered a Vampire and for a second there had him on the back foot. That was the Demon Hunter in you breaking free. If nothing else at least we now know its in you”

“Shit Steve!” Summer exclaimed as she realised that he had been alone inside the

house possibly with the Vampire.

“Steve, Steve she called out as she ran through the house searching for him. But there was no sign of him anywhere. Summer was starting to panic when she enetered the kitchen and saw a note pinned on the frigde with a magnet. “Gone to see Mum see you in a bit” Summer heaved a huge sigh of relief, Steve had already left the house by the time Oliver had come round searching for her.

“You know as long as the Vampires are after you your loved one’s will be in danger” Price warned as she walked into the kitchen behind her. Hardly comforting words but Summer knew they were true.

“Oliver wasn’t the last was he?”

“Others will come for you and they won’t stop, not unless you can kill their leader or die trying”

“Trific” Summer said sarcastically “Ok sit down and tell me exactly who you are and what the hell is going on” Summer demanded sternly as she glared unflinchingly at Price.

“Quite” Price responded earnestly as he took a seat.

Giles Price felt Summers eyes burning hole’s into him as he took a seat at her kitchen table. There was no denying the truth now, Summer had seen it with her very own eyes and she was clearly finding the situation very disconcerting and understandably so. He also knew that she was in no mood for games and lies, Price was going to have to be straight with her. If he had gained some of her trust by saving her from Oliver and he couldn’t afford to lose it now, not at such a crucial point in time.

I belong to a secret sect known as the Guardians of Knowledge. Whom for centuries have been the keepers of information and secrets regarding the supernatural. We have also acted as guides and mentors to the Demon Hunters, sharing our knowledge of Vampires and such like and honing their fighting skills.