Five

 

Kelly-Jo sat, reading a book that was the basic history of vampires, Livre de Nosferatu.  Usually every vampire studied it in depth, but she only had a small amount of time to cover the most important things that the majority newborns got around to in their own good time.

The first recorded vampire was Alta, she never revealed her origins.  Some say that God wanted her for himself but she refused him, preferring a human to the almighty.  This infuriated God, and he gave the most beautiful woman that has ever touched our earth a choice that has altered us in the most important way up to the present time.  She would have to either live in sin, murdering humans for their blood but live forever in darkness with her earthly beauty, or go to heaven to be his as a divine winged angel.  She chose to stay on earth, saying she would rather be damned to beauty for eternity than reside at his right hand taking orders from he who would dare try to impair her perfect happiness that she had come to know.

After hundreds of lonely, dark years, God took pity on the pale goddess that ruled the night.  He gave her venom that, with enough willpower, she could turn humans into a fellow vampire and allowed her to see daybreak and sunset.  She cursed him, saying humans and the sun meant nothing to her, he had let the only thing she had ever loved expire without a backward glance.  God said nothing, but allowed her to keep the venom and immunity to the first traces of sunlight.  She ignored these powers for hundreds of years, living as an animal, without thoughts or consequences.

Then, one night, there was a man, matched in beauty with herself.  She followed him for years, about a half of a decade, before she discovered he was dying.  She could not take knowing the only human she had ever seen, other than Arlington, that was so godsently beautiful was going to perish.  She had no choice but to finally use her gift from above and turn him.  It took almost more willpower than she had, but finally he was turned.  He was not faithful to her, and often used his rare beauty for bad.  He seduced many pretty women, luring them in and killing them for their precious blood.  God got angry with the man, and turned him into a repulsive creature of the night, the infamous werewolf.  Alta felt shame for bringing this upon both he and herself, instead of punishing her, however, God again took pity on her and granted her to go out in broad daylight.  But, instead of every vampire being able to immediately go into daylight, he set up a time table over a span of hundreds of years.   Progressively, like Alta, they could all go into the light.

      He also created another vampire for her, the resurrected Arlington.  She wanted more though, she wanted a child.  God also granted her one child, it was known as a full-blood vampire.  Eventually, it had to be destroyed, it’s beauty was beyond imagination as was it’s dark, menacing powers.  By now, there were about fifty vampires earth wide. 

Alta was done with her dark, destructive existence.  She tried to starve herself unsuccessfully; she tried every way she could think of to end her existence.  Finally, she went to the werewolf, granting him permission to rip her limb for limb and instructed him to then set her on fire and then spread her smoldering ashes across the sea.  He happily concurred…

Kelly-Jo’s door flung open, slamming into the wall bouncing back a little.  Anastasia stood in the thresh hold her face soured.  “Where the hell is David?”  Her voice was accusing, as if Kelly-Jo and he were in a conspiracy together.

“He’s not in his room?”  Kelly-Jo asked, bewildered.  He had told her nothing of going anywhere.

“No, do you think I would be in your room, asking you if he were in his room?” Anastasia spat in anger.  Her eyes flashed, they had red flecks running through them due to the fact she hadn’t fed as recently as Kelly-Jo.

Kelly-Jo jumped up the book with the confusing French name tumbled to her feet.  “Is he feeding?  Are you sure he’s gone?”  Kelly-Jo’s heart twisted, he couldn’t leave without telling me, without at least saying good-bye, she told herself.  But it was in vain, she knew he could, she didn’t think he would, but anything was possible of late.

“Yes, he is gone, his room is absolutely vacant.  I thought he would stop this silly disappearing with you here.”  She hissed.  “We have to find him.”  She spun around on her heel, banging the door shut behind her.  Kelly-Jo stood motionless in shock.  He can’t be gone, he would say good-bye.  He would.  Not to mention how dangerous it was for a vampire to travel alone.  Now that the other creatures knew they had the key there were riots breaking out, disturbing the peace everywhere.  The authorities were trying to enforce the laws, but there was little they could do, plus they were often just as upset that this could be their demise as the rioters were.

Kelly-Jo walked to her door, opening it slowly.  She peered into the dim hallway; Anastasia was gone, only her scent revealing she had ever been there.  Kelly-Jo wandered the halls until she came to David’s doorway.  She pushed the door open.  The drapes were drawn shut; she walked into the massive room.  She floated across the red-carpeted floor, the room smelled of David and Anastasia.  She looked for any sign, any trace of him, he had left none.  Not even a note for her to work from.

She searched the house, finding no hint of him.  She stood in the entryway trying to find his scent that was oddly obscure. Anastasia burst though the front door, Kelly-Jo was standing; dejected by the wall, she had failed to find the man she knew best of anyone else.

“Still nothing?”  Anastasia's eyes looked over Kelly-Jo who said nothing.  “I will take that as a yes.” She muttered.  Her eyes had no more hints of red in them, only the soft hazel.  “I spoke to Zelda.  Come on, Kelly-Jo, you have much to be taught and it appears I am the instructor.”  She no longer sounded angry at David, or concerned with his whereabouts.  “First, we need to look at le Livre de Nosferatu, it may have clues to where he is.  We need to know everything about L'Eglise du Fichu and la Clef de Vie.”

“So we have to look in that book for anything about the Church of the Damned and the Key of Life.”  Kelly-Jo wasn’t very good at French yet, it still sounded like a blur of words ringing in her ears. 

Anastasia nodded gravely.  “We may find nothing, we may never find him, you do understand that, right?”

“Yeah.”  Kelly-Jo quickly dismissed the thought of him dying or being missing from her life forever.  “We should be quick, the faster we research the faster we can go out to look for him.”  Kelly-Jo answered, trying to keep her hopes up where as Anastasia just tried to smash them or be realistic.  Had she never heard of the Law of Attraction where you get whatever it is you think about?

“He may not want to be found.  He left me nothing to run with, which is probably not an accident.”  Anastasia was serious; her face was cold as stone, exposing nothing.

“We have to try.”

L'Eglise du Fichu and la Clef de Vie

This was the church God created for every damned creature.  It is small, and forgettable.  It was erected in France in the middle of no where, no person has every seen it.  Mystery eludes it for humans, but the creatures of the night, all the damned know it exists, most are unaware of its whereabouts though.

La Clef de Vie opens this church that resides in a foggy, foreboding region of France.  To get la Clef de Vie, you have to go into the pope’s residence.  He keeps the key under close watch.  By itself the key is worthless, you must have a voluntary human sacrifice otherwise you will remain damned.  Beware those who are closely acquainted with other damned creatures, you will lose them.

The only way to become mortal again lies within the walls of this church.  You must open it with la Clef de Vie, bring the human sacrifice into the church and then burn your offering to your holy God.  Then, only your kind will be mortal again, all the other’s will expire and their souls will be tormented in hell for their various sins against God.  Your slate will be wiped clean as you start your life over again, your chances of heaven or hell will be up to you, as any other free-willed human.

“So, what’s the verdict, Anastasia?”  Kelly-Jo looked up from the printed page, to the pensive woman beside her.

“We teach you the basics of fighting and head to France, what else can we do?” she returned Kelly-Jo’s gaze with sorrow.

“Well, let’s start the training, I guess.”

“Yes, it is almost dark.  Why do we not rest and change, today has been long, at ten we shall begin your practicing.”

 

They walked into the night, tonight there was no moon.  They traveled to the clearing near the top of the mountain.  “What do you expect to find in France, Anastasia?”  Kelly-Jo asked, the night was cool, a few stars poked out from behind the thick clouds that coated the sky with fluffy edges.  The stars glowed yellow-white, burning into themselves, Kelly-Jo stared at them, the only natural light she would know for many more years. 

“I honestly do not know.  David may not be anywhere near the church, after all, the key is still here.  But, he may just be looking for it, looking for vampires who know where it is or those who can find a human sacrifice.”  Kelly-Jo shuddered, she had almost been that.  She had almost been a number of things.  She ran through the list, Mrs. Welneir, until she met David; a lawyer, until David brought her here; a sacrifice, until she wanted to go home; normal, until Esmeralda; dead, until David turned her…

Reviews

this was a really good story. Im looking forward to reading more of it!

[fkglhf;hfg]

This was really good as well. I enjoy reading you're writing because its different, the characters aren't so predictable as most are. Kelly-Jo has a fantastic personality and David's shady behavior makes for good plot twists.
I agree that you should slow it down a bit, take your time, you have a good story on your hands and should spend time on every moment instead of rushing into the drama. Either way, it's a very good read.
-Rita

[Nazarea]

Again, good. Loved the way you used text to do you expo for you. Only thing is slow down. Your story is moving too fast. Give a little warning, because David's personality changes chapter to chapter. Why would you go to France...slow the history down some...more detail. The story itself is great, and your doing a wonderful job telling it, but your rushing. Let yourself enjoy telling the story, and the reader enjoy reading it. Take it slow because a longer chapter isn't going to hurt anything. A nice long book is great for rainy days...or sunny ones.
N~

[Adam]

I really enjoyed reading this chapter. You did a fantastic job of utilizing 'book information' within the texts. Kelly-Jo is an intriguing character, I like her attitude. Looking forward to reading more! Oh and about my prologue, I am working on detailing it right now.

-Adam