Chapter Six: A Final Confrantation

Lilith's finished her book and left it open, and she saw the setting sun's exotic light pouring through the entrance to her tent. Pulling on her blue cloak and quickly brushing her hair, she quickly began to pack. As soon as she was ready, she headed to the camp fire. Yadira, and Dominick looked at her and stopped talking... it was easy enough to figure out what they had been talking about.

"What's happened?" She asked anyway, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes, Dominick," said Yadira, glaring at Dominick, "Why don't you tell her what's wrong?"

"I thought we agreed that we would tell her toget--"

"We agreed we would tell her WHEN we were together. And here we are." Yadira snapped, "Tell her, boy! Its entirely your fault anyway!" Lilith's brightness from her good night's sleep was quickly fading away; a cold chill was claiming her heart. The too familiar chill of fear, a smotheringly freezing blanket that would not let go. She could not bare their bickering any longer, she just had to know.

"Excuse me," She began quietly, but she was ignored.

"It is NOT my fault!" Roared Dominick, "Which you would know if you knew anything, you old bat!"

"I can speak for myself, thank you, been doing it for sixty years now!"

"You know what, I give up, you two are such--" Lilith rolled her eyes, and tuned out their fighting. She had heard this argument, and she would not hear it any longer. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a sleeping Azrael. Gently, with only her index finger, she nudged him awake. She gazed peacefully at his little brown eyes as he clung to her hand.

"Azrael, dear, I'm sorry to wake you... would you stop them from fighting? That bat squeak will do it, if you please..."He did not move, so Lilith added, "its worth a piece of toast." For the little bat, there was nothing quite as enticing as some good old toast, roasted over the open fire. He crawled up slowly to her shoulder, and she plugged her ears with her hands.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He squealed, sounding more like an eagle then a bat. The bickering stopped at once, and Dominick stared at Lilith. Yadira had a bemused expression and was smiling. That smile did not reach her eyes, though, which flashed red every few seconds.

"Fine, I'll do it," Dominick resolved, "But I'll tell her alone, and you two will stay here." He then lead Lilith to his own tent. His purple tent was embroidered with false gold thread, and looked more like a temporary castle then somewhere to sleep. Lifting the flap to help her inside, he sat down on a soft red cushion. Seeing how awkward she seemed to be, he said, "You may sit there, if you would like." He indicated a blue cushion with gold tassels, and she happily accepted.

"So, what's happened? Is Wolfe moving, or did Arrine turn human again, or--"

"Melena is dead."

"D-d-dead?" Gasped Lilith, "How?"

"She was shot by the police for withholding information," Dominick said sadly, "About your disappearance."

"How do you know this?" She demanded haughtily, channeling her sister's spirit. Hesitantly, Dominick reached inside his coat and withdrew a morning paper. "The London Times" was clearly visible at the top, amongst all the small print.

"We sent Yadira to get some supplies this morning," He said, not taking his brown eyes from her paler-then-normal face as he spoke, "and she bought a paper, like she always does."

"Did anyone else see it?"

"No."

"How did she know that Melena was my sister?"

"She saw it."

"WHAT!?"

"Yeah, there was an add with your picture asking for information." Lilith sank back, leaning against the thin wall of the tent.

"Great, so now I'm missing and those buzzards are probably searching my house right now, calling it a crime scene." Dominick looked uncomfortable at this statement. He stood up and sat down next to her, closer then she would have liked.

Placing a calloused, rough hand on her thin, bony shoulder, he said, "I'm sorry for your loss." He did look sorry, but still, Lilith did not want his sympathy. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, shaking his hand from her. He stared at her with an amazed expression, she had not shed a single tear. This is what Dominick had expected, even from strong Lilith.

Strong, pretty Lilith. He always forgot that part, really, always viewing her as a woman with the sight rather then just... Lilith. Something about that seemed wrong, because only now did Dominick realize how alone she was. An idea sprang to him, and he leapt up. The sudden movement alarmed Lilith, who stared at him with her empty, defeated green eyes.

He offered her his hand. "Come with me," He said quietly, "I have to show you something." Slowly, she took his hand, and he took her to the edge of the forest that they had been hiding with. There was no birdsong now, for the tired sun had set, and now an energetic moon had taken its place in the dark blue sky. They came eventually to a clearing in the forest that was dark as dark could be, impossible to see anything but the faintly shining stars and moon.

The fear that had been surrounding Lilith left her as she entered the glade, and a feeling of peace awoke in her gentle heart. "What.. What is this place?" She whispered, feeling more as if she were inside a church rather then a beautiful glen. Azrael poked his head out of her softly glowing pocket briefly before falling asleep again. Lilith had let go of Dominick's hand and was gracefully moving forward, every step an elegant dancer's masterpiece. She stood there, alone again, gazing with beautiful eyes at the glistening sky.

And Dominick did what he did without thinking, or stopping to think at all. He stopped right behind Lilith, and he reached one arm around her and took her hand. With the other hand he caressed her pale face, and Lilith shivered. For one moment they stood in that position, for one moment, Lilith closed her eyes and allowed it. In that one moment they lived in a forgotten dream, separated from all the grim sorrows and toils of the world.

And then Lilith ripped herself from his embrace and ran, leaving a man more lonely then herself behind. She ran back to the campsite, and saw only Yadira.

"Where's Sitka?" She asked hastily, noticing her raised eyebrows.

"He left, took all his things," the witch replied, "I haven't the faintest idea where he went."

"Yes, well. I'm leaving too, and I.." She stopped as Yadira went inside her sleeping roll and withdrew Lilith's fully packed duffel bag.

As the old woman's crinkly hand gave Lilith her duffel bag, she whispered, "Be safe."

***

"Have I killed him?" A deep voice asked, the hooded figure turned to Wolfe and Arrine.

"He is a vampire," Wolfe said, drawing a silver blade from the scabbard in his belt, "All you did was temporarily injure him. Now, step from our path." Nightshade's body stirred, the dark hands reached for the discarded head...

"I have no reason to do so, yet." The figure replied, its hood turning to Arrine slowly. Arrine was a deathly pale, for she recognized the stranger a second time. The dark hands attached the head, the skin healing silently and seamlessly. Nightshade slowly rose from the ground, his expression one of pure hatred for the stranger. He, too, recognized the hooded figure. The vampiric soldiers had evidentially known him at once too, for whispers passed quietly from person to person.

Nightshade drew his dagger a second time, and drove it into the figure's back, between the shoulder blades. Blood escaped, but the stranger did not flinch or cry from the pain that was sure to have come from the blow. Instead the knife and blood both turned to dust and fell into an open bottle that the stranger had already had out, which he closed and added to a pouch on his belt. As he did so, his cloak hood fell back, and the suspicions of everyone but Wolfe were confirmed.

"Hello," Sitka said, "I am the Djadadjii."

Dominick walked back, glad to see the fire was still lit. Maybe, he thought, Lilith has realized how rude she was. Perhaps she waits to apologize. This thought was encouraging to him, he walked faster. Instead of Lilith, however, he found Yadira. He noticed immediately that Sitka's and Lilith's tents were missing.

"Yadira!" He said loudly, waking the old woman from her sleep, "Yadira, where are the others?" Yadira glared meaningfully at him before she answered.

"Sitka has been missing for two days, you old baffoon!" She stated coolly, "And you insulted Lilith so badly she fled. God only knows where they have gone."

Dominick sat on a log. "This is going to be more difficult then I thought," he confessed. "What do you think we should do?" Yadira smiled a wolf-like smile before launching into an incredibly complex plan. The objective of this plan? To save Arrine.

***

"Run!" Cried Arrine, "It is the Djadadjii!" Not a single vampire moved, and all of them seemed frozen in place. All of them stared at the lovely Arrine with cold, unfeeling eyes. Excepting Nightshade, who was panting heavily at his tiring efforts at self-reviving. Arrine was confused, but she did not lose any more of popularity's ground. Spinning to Sitka, she demanded, "What have you done to them?!" Sitka laughed, a deep and powerful sound that echoed in the cavern.

"Nothing," he replied, smiling, "that cannot be undone if you follow my instructions." He clapped his dark hands together. "Apprentice!" Wolfe stepped forward, bowing. His complexion had been growing steadily more pale as time had worn on, and now, he looked like a man frozen half to death. As much as he tried to hide it, Arrine recognized the look on his face.

It was fear.

"Sitka, Sitka! How may I be of service?" His voice was a good octave higher then it normally way, and Arrine allowed herself a small smile.

"Do not call me by my first name, as though we were friends, half-blood!" He snarled, "Follow my instructions!" To the shock of every vampire in the room, Wolfe did not move. He did not stamp his recently polished boot on the ground and begin to shout in reply, he did not kill the human. Instead, he bowed, his ego suffering more then he had ever believed possible.

"Yes, Master." He said quietly.

"Take Ms. Arrine to the chambers of Cortez," he paused, pulling out a gun, "Now." He glanced at a young solider in the front row of the army. "You there! What's your name!" The solider stepped forward. He had red hair and dark skin, and he was one of Wolfe's best fighters.

"I am Kataya." He said, staring Sitka straight in the eye, "I am Nightshade's son."

"Have you died before, Kataya?" Kataya shook his head. Grinning ear to ear, Sitka raised the gun, and fired. The vampires cringed as Kataya turned to dust, and Sitka laughed ruthlessly.

"An extra motivation," the Djadadjii said, "Blood Rose." No one moved, and every eye turned to Wolfe.

"So, then," Wolfe said quietly, "extra motivation." Nightshade had sank to the ground, running the ashes of his only son through his dark hands. The head he had always kept raised high sank, and tears streaked down his battle scarred face. After a short moment, Sitka kicked him.

"Up! I haven't all day, you know!" Nightshade knew that Sitka's gun still had bullets. He could fire it again, and thus, his revenge would have to wait. He rose slowly, glaring at Sitka with such a look of pure, undaunted hatred that Sitka stepped back. Nightshade went behind Wolfe, never taking his eyes from Sitka-- Or, more importantly, Sitka's gun.

"Come, Sitka," Nightshade's husky voice ordered subtly, "You haven't all day." Sitka strode forward, and then turned away, leading the group down a long and dusty corridor.

They all followed him, not looking back at the ashes of Nightshade's only heir. After a time, they came to the chamber that Sitka had spoken of. There were pillars of the Mayan gods in every corner of the room, three per corner. Each statue had a knowing, steady gaze, and each was incredibly detailed. In the center of the room, there was a long, white table. The table was made of cool marble, and there were Mayan hieroglyphs on the edges. There was a single stain, and a mysteriously familiar indenture.

Sitka, ignoring the beauty of the room, pulled out his gun again. "Arrine!" He said, "Onto the table." Arrine, watching the gun with her pale blue eyes, clambered up on the table. As she did, Sitka turned to Wolfe.

"The knife, Wolfe." He ordered. Wolfe hesitated in reply, and a bit of the old Wolfe returned. He stood up straight, his shoulders back, proud as a king.

"Not Arrine." Wolfe said loudly, "I will not let you use Arrine!" Sitka put his gun to Wolfe's chest, but Wolfe did not move.

"I will kill you and her if you do not do as I ask!" He bellowed, and a strong gust of wind blew through the cavern, undoing Wolfe's ponytail. "The knife!"

Wolfe was even more handsome with his hair down. He stood his ground. "I will not give it to you, for I know of this ritual, father!" He said, glaring at the dark-skinned Sitka. A gasp went through the vampires. "You will not rob my heart from me again!" Arrine, who had been laying on the table, sat up. She was watching the scene with an amazed expression, and was touched by the words Wolfe had spoken. And then it hit her.

"Second love?" She said, "A second love?!" At that moment, Yadira and Dominick broke through the doors.

"Me," Yadira said.

***

Dominick and Yadira had put their plan to use immediately. They had stolen horses and rode them directly to the cathedral. It was, at this time, midnight. Yadira had taken a map out of her pouch and used it to somehow open the door, leading Dominick through a long passageway. They had, after an hour and a half of navigating the mysterious catacombs, had come to the large, barred doors. Muffled voices could be heard from the inside, and Dominick knew they had found it.

So they listened. And at last, they heard Wolfe say, "You will not rob my heart from me again!" And Yadira nudged Dominick.

"Help me break open the door!" She hissed at him, "We have to get in there NOW!" Dominick looked at her, concerned, but she waved it away. "Go!" She ordered him. And Dominick had. Reaching inside his pouch, he took out a bottle of what looked like large, red cockroaches. Opening it and throwing it onto the door, they ate the bars holding the doors shut. Kicking it open, they had went inside, just in time for Yadira to say, "Me."

"YOU!" Cried Sitka and Wolfe both, although they saw very different people-- Wolfe saw Yadira, and Sitka, Dominick. Wolfe was running towards Yadira like a mad man, faster then any cheetah in the world, until he heard the click of Sitka's gun.

"Don't move," he warned, reaching inside his shirt and pulling out a gold bottle that glowed with an unusual light, "Or I'll smash it!" Small Yadira was wrapped in Wolfe's large arm, and Wolfe was crying (silently, of course) with happiness. Dominick, the vampires, and Arrine did not understand. At last, Nightshade asked.

"What is happening here?" He asked, his thick accent fitting the moment perfectly.

"Wolfe and I loved each other, we met only five years ago," Yadira croaked, "and then Sitka--Wolfe’s immortal father-- came and stole my youth in that bottle. I am a vampire, but I am doomed to this shape unless, and until, Wolfe is released from Sitka's service."

"And I won't until I receive her blood!" Sitka shouted, sounding a spoiled child. Stamping his foot and pointing at Arrine. At this point, everyone was baffled.

"...My blood? Why my blood?" She said, staring at Sitka.

"So that I might die in peace." He answered quietly, "So I might repent for my sins." Arrine, anyone could see, was still confused. As Sitka saw this, he went on. "You don't know how long I've been alive, do you?" He asked, still in the quiet, dark tones of a mourner. "I have lived on this world for hundreds--nay, thousands of years. I have so many sons that I have not met them all, so many to carry on my curse."

Again, he stopped. It was, for some reason, painful for him to recount his magnificent life. "Every night, another falls to my hunger. Not just my physical hunger, oh, no. That would be too merciful an act for God to give me. My lust for blood consumes me, and I am bound to it. Watching this world grow older and less beautiful. Watching civilizations crumble, and watching the future become a lesson in Wolfe's history book. Watching the little human habits I retained floating away... Watching myself turn into a monster."

"Very sad," Nightshade interrupted, "Boo-hoo. But why Arrine's blood?!"

"I am coming to that, youngling! Be silent! As it happened, it was in this very room that I discovered, on that white table, an ancient text. It took me twenty years to translate the blasted thing, but I did so. There was a power stronger then anything I had ever felt in that book, and it told me... it told me how to cure this curse of vampirism." A gasp sprang up from all vampires in the room, including Arrine.

"But that's impossible!" A solider in the back cried, "Impossible!"

"No, it is true!" Insisted Sitka, "If I could lead a willing vampire down here, on the eve of his or her thirteenth month of being a vampire, I could be mortal for a full mortal lifetime!" The serious tones of his speech echoed slightly, coming back quieter and quieter before finally fading away.

"So," he concluded, "I needed a vampire's blood. I didn't originally need Arrine's blood, but she seemed easiest to subdue, felt the most empathy. Wanted to help anyone she could."

Two things happened in very quick succession. Arrine leapt at Sitka, biting him, and Lilith sprang into the room.

"SITKA!" Screamed Lilith, ignorant of his story and what he had done, "DOMINICK, YADIRA, WHY ARE YOU LETTING HER--"

Arrine had stood, blood dripping from her ivory fangs, shaking with anger. "He is dead," she said to Lilith, "You waste your breath."

"Murderer!" Lilith cried, her voice muffled beneath her cloak hood, shaking an index finger at Arrine, "We came to save you, and you killed our friend! Ruthless, pathetic, heartless VAMPIRE!"

Dominick was watching this angry Lilith with an interested expression. He had never seen her so simply furious, in all the weeks they had been traveling. Arrine did not reply. Instead, she drew her golden blade, the clang of metal louder then normal in the silence of the chamber.

"Say that again," She ordered, baring her teeth. Lilith leaned forward, her face in Arrine's.

"Vampire." She murmured, her eyes directly on Arrine's. Wolfe had taken the bottle from Sitka's lifeless corpse and handed it to Yadira, who opened it and drank whatever was inside down. She immediately began to grow younger, until she looked a good deal like the pre-vampire Arrine. The same dark hair, the same brown eyes...

Arrine stared at her, dropping her sword. "MOTHER!" She screamed, "MOTHER!" Arrine ran to Yadira, who took her up in her young arms.

Dominick scowled. "And there goes another family moment...You don't think I'm related to Nightshade, do you, Azrael?" The little white bat was sitting on his shoulder, but it gazed at him with sleepy eyes before falling asleep. Dominick sighed. "I supposed not."

"Oh, look," Lilith said, staring heartlessly at the two, "More monsters. How many people did you kill, Yadira?" By the time Lilith reached the word 'Yadira,' Arrine had picked up her sword. Running at Lilith, one of her hands lit with a red and yellow fire while the other clutched her golden sword. Lilith simply took out her still-living Blood Rose, trying not to flinch at Arrine's blood-curdling scream.

And so they fought.

Lilith lifted her head and looked around the landscape before taking two steps forward, lifting the Rose like a sword. "Elegance," Lilith said quietly, and the Rose began to glow with a gold fire-- a fire that flew from the rose to Arrine. But Arrine had seen it coming, and her red and yellow fire met head on with the golden beam of Lilith's Rose. For a time, the powers were even, but soon the Blood Rose began to overcome Arrine's fire. At this point Azrael took off in flight and flung himself at Arrine, scratching her face. The distraction was enough, the golden beam of light reached Arrine's heart...

Staring at Dominick, her hair began to turn dark. Her eyes turned brown, and her dress turned white. "Thank you," she whispered, to him more then anyone else. Then, she died, her dust trailing onto Sitka's enchanted wind. No one moved as Azrael landed on Lilith's shoulder, as the gold beam faded back into her rose. As she calmly looked around, she sank to the ground, exhausted.

"I can't believe it," Wolfe said, staring at the fainted Lilith, "How was her heart stronger then Arrine's?"

"Her sister died," Yadira's young, musical voice answered, "She believes, I think, that if she had been there Melena would not have died. And she was hunting Arrine at the time of her sister's death."

"It was the rose that killed Arrine, though," Nightshade said, "Surely it was the blood rose that caused her victory?"

"No, it was her heart. The Blood Rose is an enemy to vampires traditionally because of the smell, but it will defend the pure of heart. As Lilith is."

Dominick was paler then any of the vampires. He looked first at the scattered ashes of Arrine, then at Lilith. He repeated this action several times until he stated, "She's dead?"

"Yes," Wolfe said, putting an arm around Yadira's waist, "Arrine Hermal is dead." Yadira looked at Dominick's lost face, and then at the fainted Lilith.

"Come, Soldiers!" She said, smiling, "Let us leave them." The group of vampires and the single mortal walked out of the room, leaving Dominick alone with Lilith.

***

After they had left, Dominick slowly made his way over to Lilith. He shook her shoulder a little.

"Lilith?" He shook her again. "Lilith, are you awake?" Lilith stirred, sitting up with a pained groan.

"Dominick?" She muttered, "Dominick, I don't feel well." Dominick picked her up, her legs trailing over the edge of his arms. He then carried her out of the catacombs, and took her to a room in the church. Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, and the painted faces of angels stared at them from everywhere.

He set Lilith on a chair, reached inside his pack, and made some bacon and eggs. Lilith yawned, and sat up as the scent of the food wafted toward her. Azrael poked his head out of her pocket, licking his tiny lips. After they had eaten, Lilith gave Dominick a kiss. She was flushed as ever, and she quickly backed away. Taking her sister's last advice to her, she had let her heart choose over her head.

"Dominick?" She asked.

"Yes, Lilith?"

"Did we win?" Dominick thought of the happy Yadira, the overjoyed Wolfe, and all the vampires who had listened to Sitka.

"Yes, Lilith," he said finally, "We did."

 

 

~The End

Author's Note

This was before my ten-pages-to-a-chapter Rule. ^^