Chapter 20
The gate shut down behind them and they started off into the dense forests.
"Just what exactly are we looking for?" Evan asked.
"I'll know it when I see it." M'Rhinna said.
"Fair enough." He said and they walked in silence for a while before she stopped. "What is it?"
"We are being hunted." She said and they raised their weapons. Large darker shadows moved just out of sight, skirting around the outside of the group. "Vampyra." She hissed.
"What?" John asked.
"The creatures my people evolved from." She said and her fangs dropped several inches.
"You evolved from a creature called 'Vampyra'." Evan said and she nodded.
"That is where we got the term 'vampyre' from." She said, her voice distorted slightly by the fangs. Opening her mouth she gave out a sound that was unheard by them, but the creatures around them shrank back, disappearing into the darkness.
"What was that?" Ronon asked.
"That was me telling them to back off." She said, her fangs retracting. "It's not far now, lets get moving." They started walking again, but kept catching moving shadows on the edges of their vision, staying just out of direct sight.
"They're still following us." Evan said.
"They will, but they won't bother us." She said as they reached the dilapidated ruins of a building. Grasping the handle, she ripped the door off the rusted hinges and walked in, the space instantly illuminating with soft blue light.
"Major Lorne, stay out here and alert us if these things get any closer." John said.
"Yes, Colonel." He said.
"I wouldn't recommend that, they will attack if we split up." M'Rhinna said.
"Major Lorne, belay my last." John said.
"Yes, Colonel." He said and turned into the doorway.
"I would recommend that he take point behind us, they might attack if our backs are turned."
"You heard the woman." John said.
"Yes, Colonel." Evan said and raised the sight to his eye, walking backwards behinds them as they went further into the building. "M'Rhinna, they've entered the building." He said. "Why can't I make them out?"
"They can shield their forms with darkness; it makes it easier for them to hunt."
"Because this planet is completely dark ten out of the twelve months." John said.
"Precisely."
"I have a bad feeling about this." Ronon said, taking his blaster out of the holster and setting it to kill.
"We've come this far." M'Rhinna said.
"Yeah?" Evan said and they looked at him. "You didn't just call me, did you?" he asked M'Rhinna but she shook her head.
"It was them." She said, moving her head at the dark forms.
"They can talk?" John asked.
"No, they can read your mind and transmit thoughts." She said. "Whatever you hear, do not go off on your own, they will try to trick you, call to you by mimicking voices. Do not fall for it."
"John!"
"Teyla!" John said moving towards the sound of the voice but she grabbed his hand.
"It wasn't her, she's on Atlantis, safe and sound." She said and he blinked several times, shaking his head as if to clear it.
"Ronon! Please, help me!"
"Melena." Ronon said and M'Rhinna grabbed his arm. "Let go, I have to help her!"
"Ronon! It's not her!" M'Rhinna said, pushing with her mind through the hypnosis and he fell to his knees. She grabbed his gun and fired off into the darkness. High pitched screeching met their ears as her blasts hit the creatures. "They're leaving." She said and dropped to her knees in front of Ronon, cradling his face in her hands.
"It sounded just like her." He said, extreme pain in his voice.
"It wasn't her, Ronon." M'Rhinna said, forcing him to look at her. "It was just a trick."
"I say we scrub this and come back later." John said.
"They're won't bother us anymore." M'Rhinna said.
"You said that last time!"
"Trust me, John. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt any of you." She said and he thought for a moment before nodding.
"How much farther is it?"
"Not very." She said and stood when Ronon did, sliding his gun back into the holster.