CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

Stephan went out to check on the vampires. Leo had excused himself and went to see Salvatore in his chambers, but he wasn’t alone. Zen, Marquis, and some of the other elders were with him.

He ignored the rest of the vampires in the room and turned his attention to their leader, “We are preparing to leave.”

“That’s good. Finally, we will prove ourselves as the powerful race.” Salvatore put in. “Do not let us hold you up. By the way, Marquis and Zen will be accompanying you.”

“But-,” Leo protested.

“But nothing. It is my wish and please relay that to Stephan. If he wants to use my army for his agenda, I want to make sure our objectives are met. He better comply with my instructions.”

“He is not fond of them and his anger for them may distract him.” Leo glared at them.

“They will stay clear of him. Do you understand Marquis?”

Reluctantly she nodded her head in agreement.

Leo slightly bowed and stormed out of the room. He didn’t want anyone to interrupt his plan. He had already decided what he was going to do. He chose the lesser evil.

“Zen, if the child happens to be there make sure you bring him to me.”

“What about Stephan?”

“Kill him.”

Marquis rose to protest but one look from Salvatore made her back down.

“As you wish.”

Leo went to where the men were assembled and receiving instructions from Stephan. He waited until he finished addressing them.

“Stephan-,”

“Where do you think you are going?” Stephan interrupted him when he saw Marquis and Zen approaching them.

“That was what I wanted to tell you, Salvatore insists that they accompany us.”

Stephan didn’t argue he knew Salvatore would take away his resources if he dared go against him. “Please keep this in mind, once you walk out of those gates I guarantee that you won’t be walking back in.”

“Remember what I told you, Stephan.” She put in then walked away.

“What is she talking about?” Leo asked.

“Don’t pay attention to her. She claims that she is the only one I can trust.”

Leo changed his mind about his earlier decision. The lesser evil wouldn’t do now that Marquis had led him on. Now all he had to think about was self-preservation.

They ran to the falls, when they got there the beasts hadn’t yet arrived. Stephan placed his men in strategic places just in case it came to hand-to-hand combat, but he also made sure he could see them all.

“Stephan I need to talk to you about something.” Leo approached him.

Marquis watched him carefully, she already knew what he was about to say and she wasn’t about to let him take it away for her. Warning Stephan about the danger to himself and his son was the only way to redeem herself.

“Stephan may I talk to you?” she interrupted Leo just as he was about to tell him.

“Not now, I can hear them approaching. Leo, we’ll talk as soon as it is over, as for you do not come near me again.” Stephan stalked away from them and closer to the water that separated the two beautiful lands.

Scarlet was a few paces behind Solara and her son. She was worried when the front group stopped.

“Scar, he’s here.” Vincent came to tell her, before going back to Solara’s side.

“Breath Scar.” Kayla held on to her hand. She could hear all their thoughts, but she blocked out all others but that of the vampires with Stephan.

“Maybe you can show Stephan we are all alive, instead of them taking SJ to him.” Scarlet was hyperventilating. The situation was becoming too much for her to handle. She could feel all her pillars of strength she had built inside herself crash down.

“I wish I could but his mind is shielded again. Just relax, don’t panic.” Kayla felt false because she didn’t believe in her own words.

Zen is here.

I know, don’t tell Scarlet.

She tried to calm herself down. The thoughts she heard from Zen were putting her on edge. She was glad that Solara could also hear them, that way he could act accordingly.

***

“It seems you have a few fans Zen,” Marquis smirked as she overheard Solara and Kayla’s conversation.

“I do? I’ve always wanted to be famous.” He grinned.

“If you don’t stop talking I may change my mind and kill you now.” Stephan was on edge.

“Let’s go?” Leo asked.

They had decided that they would approach the beasts first without any of the warriors, and would call them if they needed them.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “Let’s go.”

***

“They have decided to come to us.” Solara filled them in. “Xavier, Sam, Eric, Vincent, and Victor, we will go first. He knows us and he trusts us. Bring Scarlet closer, but don’t let her reveal herself just yet.”

They walked out of the bushes to the small clearing where they found Stephan and Zen.

“Hey, big guy?” Vincent greeted him.

“Vincent? I thought you were-,”

“Dead? No way. We are all here actually.”

One by one they revealed themselves to him, Solara coming in last, SJ snuggled in his arms.

“Solara...” his eyes trailed down to the child in his arms, “SJ. My son. Where is Kayla?”

“With Scarlet.” He gently tried to wake up the boy who had fallen asleep on their way there.

“It can’t be Scarlet is... she’s dead.” Stephan shook his head, hoping to get some clarity.

Leo stood beside him agitated.

“I think your friend can confirm that.” Solara leaned his head in Leo’s direction.

“That was what I was trying to tell you earlier.” He decided to volunteer the information before Stephan questioned him. “Salvatore and Marquis planned this.”

“And you went along with it. My friend betrayed me.” He took a step aside, “So that was what she meant.”

He started towards him, his eyes smoldering black with a fiery red circle around it. “You watched me suffer the loss of my family and yet you knew they were alive. The headaches, they were because of Marquis breaking through my shield.”

“You need to understand Stephan, Salvatore threatened to kill me and-,”

“And like the coward you are, you saved your hide, by sacrificing mine. Do you know the danger I have put my family in by bringing them here!” his rage took over and all rational sense left him.

“Daddy!” SJ exclaimed.

The excited giggle stomped out the fire in his eyes. Stephan turned to his son forgetting about Leo and his duplicity.