Chapter 4

A Chapter by DaveMc

Their family had survived for centuries, and lived in peace with their surroundings. Until one day. The two brothers where torn apart by love and betrayal. A love child was born and hidden for years

Chapter Four

In around 1350 back in the homeland the coven was very wealthy and very prosperous. They had a good relationship with the locals, although they had no idea they were vampires. Back then vampires didn't have the notoriety that they have now. No books where written, and certainly no movies where made. The coven was ran by an Elder vampire, who was centuries old by then, and had trained his only son to take over the coven when he went into hibernation. When a male vampire, born from the current leader of the coven, comes of age he assumes the running of the coven, so his father steps down. This helps to prolong the bloodline for many centuries. In turn when this new leader was ready, his son would take over and so on. The Elder and his son started to make many ventures out through the day light hours, and at night time, feeding on humans. They thought they where untouchable. After many years of this the locals began to hear stories of people being drained of their blood, bodies started to turn up dead, and fears started to raise. The locals had worked out that the Elder and his son where responsible for the deaths, as they where usually the only people out and about that late at night and in the same areas the bodies had started to turn up. They started to rally against them and the coven. Many in the coven thought that they had been playing very dangerous games, and brought unwanted attention to them. Many attempts where made on their lives. The son, who was called Joseph, over this time had fathered two sons of his own with his wife. The eldest was Kristian, and the younger by two years was Gareth. The Elder and Joseph had renounced their hedonistic ways because many times they had nearly been caught and killed. Joseph had started to think like a father should, and started to protect his sons, and the coven. The decision was taken to train both of the sons to run the coven, just in case something happened to one or the other. The Elder, who didn't go into hibernation when he should have, stayed so he could help with the training, and had started to grow weak. Joseph, who had so much to contend with, made the decision to face the locals and call a truce. The Elder, Joseph and his wife, all went to the meeting. The locals seemed like they were going to allow them to live, as they couldn't actually prove who was doing the killing, but they had their suspicions about what had happened. As long as the coven moved away and never came back, they would let it go, or so they said. This turned out to be a ruse to expose them. There, they where ambushed, and killed. Although the locals didn't know what they where, because of what had happened in the past they cut up the bodies and burned them. This seemed to be the only way the locals knew how to exact revenge for the killings. Luckily for them that is the only way to kill a vampire, and without knowing they had seen them off. Once the coven had gotten word of the deaths, Kristian and Gareth, who were now in charge, decided that they had to move the coven, as they were so sure that the locals would come after them. The two sons had decided that the flaunting of the coven's wealth and power was what got their parents killed, and had decided to live a more sombre lifestyle, and somewhere new.

In the early 17^th century they moved the whole coven over to the New World. They had left behind a good majority of their wealth, and only took what was needed to start over. Their new lifestyle was just what the coven needed after the scandal back home. For many years they lived peacefully, and harmoniously.

After about 100 hundred years or so, the two brothers started to argue. Kristian was missing the wealth and lifestyle of back home, where as Gareth was quite happy living life more rustically. There were many fights over the years, and the two brothers had gathered many followers of their own, from within the coven. Time passed, and with the many fights they had, they still managed to keep themselves secret, although it was getting harder, as many of the writings at the time seemed to be about vampires. With Kristian being the eldest he ultimately had the final say on things, and when he had found out about the goldrush in the Californian hills, the temptation of wealth was too much. He decided that the whole coven would have to be moved again, and Gareth would have to obey his older brother. For the first time the two hadn't made the decision between them, and this upset Gareth a lot.

Kristian had started to say that his parents where killed because they were careless, and he knew how to have the wealth, the power, human blood and still be hidden. Gareth didn't hold the same belief, and when Kristian had started to question his parents, Gareth took the fight to him, and wanted to over throw him as leader. Over the years they continued to fight, and had had a son each. The coven was getting more and more divided. The followers of each brother wanted the coven to split into two, but Gareth, out of respect for his parents and grandfather, wanted the coven to stay together, no matter how much it hurt him.

When Gareth's wife died giving birth to their son, Edward, his life was turned upside down. Gareth had to raise his son on his own, so the fighting got less and less, and Kristian's hold on the coven, was getting stronger. They still had their own followers, and Gareth had one in particular, Kristian's wife. Kristian was never faithful to his wife, and she knew about his many affairs. She found solace in Gareth, and helped him grieve the loss of his wife. She also shared the same beliefs that Gareth did. This friendship went on for many years, and they grew close. They ended up having their own affair, and Kristian was still none the wiser. Until one day Gareth was careless, and Kristian found out about the affair. He was getting ready to go into hibernation when he found out, and he swore to get his revenge. He banished Gareth, his son, and his own wife from the coven. Gareth's followers went too, and finally the coven was split into two. Kristian's son Sean, who had been training for many years, was ready to take over the coven. This was the coven with all the wealth. Kristian made Sean swear he would take his revenge on Gareth and his coven, and so the virus was born. We still don't know how they got hold of the virus, but we think it has something to do with Kristian personally. Maybe he found it somewhere or maybe it came from his own blood, we don't know. Slowly but surely, Sean's coven has been taking it's revenge, as you can see tonight.

Gareth had also been training his son to become coven leader, but this coven didn't have the wealth, and know how to combat the virus properly. Soon Gareth went into hibernation, and Edward assumed control. Over the years we have gained some wealth and prosperity, but we are still far behind the other coven. There isn't room for two covens in this city, and that's why they are trying to expose us, and be rid of our coven. We can't have children, because they would be born frenzied, and would die very quickly. If we don't find a cure for the virus soon my coven will be wiped out. We need all the help we can get.

“Wow, that's some story”, Stuart gasped out.

He still wasn't completely sure about all this, although the story was very believable, he sat there hanging on every word Laura said.

“I didn't think vampires would have children? I mean I thought you turned people into vampires?”, Stuart added.

“The coven leader is the only one who can have children. They have to bear a male child, so he can be raised to run the coven one day. The hierarchy of the coven dictates that there should be four Elders to run the coven. Each having a twenty five year turn. However when the original Elder and his son where murdered, that hierarchy fell. Currently there is only one Elder in our coven and that's Gareth. When Edward has his child, then he will become the second, and so on until four is reached. This might not happen though if a cure for the virus is not found, and soon.”, Laura said

“We do occasionally turn some humans, but this would only be to sure up the numbers in the coven, and we haven't turned anyone for over a hundred years”, She continued.

“So you haven't found a cure yet?”

“No. We think it has something to do with Kristian himself and we can't get near Kristian's body to get any clues”, Laura replied.

“Have you been infected?”, Stuart said.

“No”, she replied.

“They catch one of our coven at a time, and give them the virus, but we don't know where, and our resources are getting more and more stretched”, she continued.

“We have a hard enough time stopping these vampires, and caring for our own back at the coven”

“Can I help?”, Stuart asked.

“I don't think so, we are not supposed to interact with humans except for feeding. Edward would never accept your help, or any human, even if it meant finding that cure”, Laura replied.

“He needs to change his attitude, or your all going to die out”, Stuart retorted.

Laura tried to ignore his comments, but deep down she knew he was right and continued to clean up the mess that surrounded her. Stuart, who was feeling better, tried to stand up. He was still feeling weak, and struggled to get to his feet.

“Where are you going?”, Laura asked.

“I think it's time I went, I've got work tomorrow”, he replied.

“Your going no where. You can help me here, then back to your apartment to get you sorted out. You are in no fit state to go anywhere on your own”, Laura said.

Stuart, who knew he couldn't get far on his own, stopped. He turned back to look at Laura and said,

“You want me to help you clean up? Your joking, right?”

“Do I sound like I am joking? If we don't get this bagged up and out of here soon, it will come round again. We can't let that happen, we have to burn it”, she said.

“What? It's not dead?”, he replied.

“Did you not hear me before when I said the only way to kill a vampire was to cut it up and burn it?”, Laura snapped.

“Oh my god this is real”, Stuart thought.

“Erm... OK then if it's going to stop it coming back”, he said.

The two of them started to bag up the creatures remains. Stuart couldn't help but think this is not the kind of excitement he wanted, but it is different.

Laura continued to fill Stuart in with some more information about vampires, and her coven, and about the fact the she is risking a lot by talking to him at all. Edward, although a very diplomatic person, stood by the ancient laws of the coven. That included no contact with humans, unless for feeding. It was an easy way for the coven to get discovered, especially in this day and age.

They finally finished bagging up the creature,

“We need to get to one of the ventilation shafts”, Laura said.

“Why's that?”, Stuart replied.

“We are going to burn the remains, so we need a well ventilated place”, she said.

“We going to do that now?”, Stuart asked surprised.

“Of course we are”, Laura replied grabbing one end of the bag.

“Will you grab that end and help me move it”

“OK”, Stuart replied.

As he picked up the bag he winced in pain. Laura asked if he was OK, he just nodded and said,

“Let's just get it over with”

The two of them lifted the bag, and started to make their way for the vent shafts. Once they got there, Stuart dropped the bag and slumped down on to the floor out of breath.

“You don't seem to be very fit for your age”, Laura quipped.

Stuart just looked at her, frowned, and looked away holding his sides.

“I feel like I've gone ten rounds with the world champion”, he thought.

Laura started to get some stuff ready for the burning. Stuart watched as she went into a silent prayer. He wondered how such a beautiful woman could get herself all entangled in something like this. Suddenly to his surprise, she threw a lit match onto the remains, sending it into a whirling blaze. Stuart was a bit startled by this and flinched, but then settled to watch. He had started to believe that everything that had happened, and been said was true after all. After a few minutes, he said,

“How come none of the humans you have fed from, have never told anyone about you?”

“We have certain enzymes in our blood that heals the wounds up quickly, and also makes them feel drunk. So when they wake up, they don't remember much, and it feels like a dream”, Laura said.

“Very convenient”, Stuart said.

“Just like any animal, we have adapted over the years to feed and live without detection”, she replied.

Stuart was feeling very compassionate towards her cause and, more importantly to him, he felt closer to her.

“If I can help you and your coven, I will, and I'll keep quiet about everything”.

Laura stared at him for a moment, then started to think that he was being serious, for the look in his eye was as genuine as anything she had ever seen before. Then her head slowly dropped to look at the floor,

“I don't know if you can help or not”.

“Don't talk like that, you have survived this long, I am sure we can solve the problem”, Stuart said.

For once, she felt some hope. For so long she had been chasing these creatures, and avoiding Sean's coven, she had lost all hope of it ever being over.

“Maybe this human was the key to it all, many years of hiding from them, and maybe it's them who we need”, she thought.

“We need to get you fixed up first though”, she said to Stuart seeing him clutching his sides.

“I agree, we need to get back to my apartment. Can you help me up?”, he replied.

Laura stood up, and moved over to Stuart. She motioned for him to stand, and she put her arms under his for support. Stuart was surprised at the strength she had.

“She could carry me home”, he thought.

Stuart smiled and let Laura lead the way. He was hobbling, but managed to walk. They made their way down the tunnels, and away to Stuart's apartment, where she promised to make him healthy again, and maybe, just maybe get him ready to help her in the fight against Sean's coven, and that dreaded virus.