Untitled Story

Untitled (Story 1)
Chapter One

   The darkness of the night can be threatening. It holds shadows and evils, secrets and truths, the normal and not so normal.

   But to Devon, who walked quickly beside me, it was like a second home. We walked quickly down the sidewalk heading to a place only we knew. He, with his shaggy blonde head of hair and peircing green eyes and I, in contrast, with my brown hair and hazel eyes. He was an inch or two taller than me, giving the impression that he was older than me which, in reality, he was.

   He took long confident strides, but you could tell there was haste in his step. I kept up and kept quiet, askign no questions. No explaination was needed for where we were going or why. A light wind blew against us, fluttering our dark coats and making us shiver. I moved closer to Devon and found his hand. He looked at me and smiled reassuringly.

   The sidewalk ended adruptly at a dirt, gravel road leading to the left where a black, iron rod gate stood. We slowly made our way over to it and stopped. It loomed high above us as if daring us to enter. Moonlight shown down, illuminating the spiked tops. Devon cleared his throat. "Genevieve!"

   From around the corner a tall, slim woman, draped in black, stepped out. Her face was deathly pale, making it seem like it was floating alone with her black clothing, the only color being her blood red lips. She walked slowly and stepped carefully, coming to the gate and pressing her face between the bars. "Evening Devon" she greeted in an Irish tone.

   "Open the gates" he replied irritably, his face stone.

   She smiled wickedly. "Oh, but of course." She stepped down and backed up, reaching behind the stone pillar and pulling the lever. The gates slowly swung open, creaking with age and rattling as if stretching muscles old and weary. With a forward sweep of Devon's hand we both began to walk, passing through the gate and by Genevieve, then down the road.

   Trees surrounded us on all sides. Lovely sight by day, I'm sure, but at night it became a dark forest closing in on us as we walked. The road was mainly straight and very narrow, just wide enough for one car to get through going in either direction, until we reached a curve some two hundred yards from the gate. Around it sat the ?????? mansion, (NOTE: Don't have a name yet) gloriously lit with every light possible turned on and a candle burning in every window, which were in abundant numbers. The porch extended the entire front of the house, once holding rocking chairs and coffee tables, but was now littered with men and women, talking and laughing. It was looking very crowded but still many more people arrived in rich, luxurious looking cars and limousines, finely dressed. I looked down at my own apparel realizing how much Devon and I would stand out with our black clothes and coats.

   We continued on, around the driveway, that curved all the way around back to the road, and up the steps of the house through the large white pillars. The front doors stood open so we walked right in. Inside it was even more crowded than outside on the porch. People from wall to wall, from all different places dressed in all idfferent types of clothing; some formal and some not. Heavy, dark music weas blasting throughout the house, though few people were dancing. I kept close to Devon as we walked through the crowd, leading to the back of the house where a set of french doors were located leading out to a small balcony.

Outside it was a little better; less crowded and the music had dulled some. As we passed byy many, if not all, of the guests stared at us then immediatly averted their eyes when we stared back.

   "There he is" Devon whispered to me. My eyes snapped away from a short, rich looking man who I had been involved in a staring contest with and up to where Devon had nodded his head. A man in the center of a large group of women, charmign them as was his nature, smiling and laughing, giving each a moment in his spotlight. Indeed any woman would be enchanted with his auburn hair, green eyes and laughing face.

   "Come" Devon spoke. I turned to the left and followed him down the staircase before us, making our way through the throng of people. Luke saw us, his smile fadign slightly and quickly excused himself. Devon and I stood and waited, watching him walk over thenm motion for us to follow him up another staircase leading from the outside to the second florr. Below us, the women watched his back as he left then slowly dispersed.

   Once inside again Luke lead us down the hall to the right and stopped tat the last door on the left, opening it and waiting for us to enter. We did and he followed, shutting it behind him.

   The room was dimly lit, a fire in the fire place being the brightest casting shadows on everything. A desk sat to the left, very grand looking, with a couch and a small armoire next to it, a bar to the right of that and a plush couch across from the desk. In the middle was a knee-high coffee table holdign a candlebra only.

   "So, you've come." Luke asked.

   "Yes," Devon answered, "and I'd like to know why I have been summoned."

   Luke ignored his question, looking over at me. "Why have you brought her?"

   I looked at Devon quickly then back to luke. "What does it matter?" Devon answered.

   Luke smiled slightly, though rather smugly and came to me. My heart began to race as I looked in those grey eyes and felt his hands on my face; cold as ice. I breathed in quickly and he laughed, sensing my discomfort. "Ah Edana," he breathed calling me by my true name. He searched my face for somethign unknown to me. "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful." I relaxed a little. "How long has it been?"

   "Almost six years."

   "Why did you change her?" Luke asked Devon not looking away from me. I quickly glanced at Devon again. "I was dying."

   "And?" He looked at Devon also. Devon stared back, his eyes showing his discomfort. "Is there more?"

   "All right Luke, enough."Devon interrupted, pulling Luke away and steppingin front of me. "Why are we here?"

   He took his time in answering; going to his desk, sitting down and adjusting his coat around him. Devon looked ready to take his head off but controlled himself. Luke could see this and chuckled.

   "The Seven Kingdoms," he answered lazily. "A war has broken out among the kingdoms."

   Devon scoffed. "You lie, that's only-"

   "- in ancient lore" I finished, then began reciting what I had learned. "The Seven Kingdoms, Brigata,_______,________,_________,_________,___________,________ have been since the beginning of vampire's existence. Together they formed the greatest empire ever known. It came to and end when the________took it upon themselves to take over and try to become leader. The rest didn't agree and small fights began to break out among them until war occured. By this time though, the empire was completely destroyed along with the peace they once had."

   Luke raised his eyebrows surprised. "Impressive, my dear"

   I smiled in spite of myself. "But again that's only-"

   "Not exactly." He interrupted, holding his hand up to stop me and looked at Devon. "You taught her well, but not good enough. The Kingdoms have been, as you said, since the beginning of our existence. Yes, they had war but the empire ever broke apart. They simply let everyone believe that it was no more, and life went on as usual. They've slowly been building back up, getting stronger than ever. But now one of them has decided to bring back the Banished One and make him leader." He paused to light a cigarette. "And we all know what he can do."

   Devon's eyes went wide, the only emotion showing on his face. I looked between him and Luke, confused. "Who's the Banished One?"

   "Why the most know vampire - strongest that ever lived, "Luke answered puffing, "well, is living. Shame, shame, Devon, not teaching her that. How long were you going to hide it?

   I looked at Devon. His eyes were closed as he turned around to face me. "The Banished One is as he says. During the war of The Seven Kingdoms it was rumored that he was the one who began the first attempt at leader. He killed many within the other Kingdoms, making their numbers few so they would have less trouble. The Jurea Council was not able to prove it so to be cautious of any future events they banished him."

   "The only vampire to be banished I might add," Luke called from his chair. Devon and I looked at him. "So what does he want now?"

   "It's not what he wants, but what the Kingdom ????? wants. But who would he be to let cush an opportunity pass by. They will make him leader and he will lead the attempt; this time going for the Jurea Council-"

   "- killing those who banished him and taking over the empire." I finished.

   Once again Luke looked at me smiling. "Exactly. And you two," he reached over to put out his cigarette, "are going to help stop him." His face broke out into a sadistic smile. "What fun!"

   "Why us?"

   "Ah, the inevitable question. You two were chosen because of you Edana, or Katherine, whichever you prefer. Because of your father."

   At the sound of the word, my temper flared and I ran to him, picking him up and pinning him to the wall. "My father is dead, has been for the last fifteen years after leaving me and my mother alone to starve in the streets! That is why I am what I am because I was dying and Devon chose to save me! So don't tell me I was chosen because of him because I want nothing, absolutely NOTHING, to do with him!"

   I let go, backing away and watcehd him collect himself. I realized I must have made him nervous when I felt the long, pointed front teeth in my mouth.

   "Temper, temper." Luke muttered. "I apologize for upsetting you but it is the truth. Your father is dead, yes, but not for the reasons you think. He too was a vampire and also leader of the empire." My eyes snapped back to him. "Yes, leader. And he was killed by the Banished One."