Chapter 4 - The Rogue Cult

Viper dragged me roughly into the room and threw me out onto the stone table. "Drake is dead!" she yelled, her voice broke and echoed through the room. A thick silence fell over the room, all eyes once again turned to me. "He says he killed him and was banished for it,"

"Hang on a sec," I piped up, "I didn't say I killed him,"

"Yes Viper, we don't want to jump to conclusions," said the man at the end of table, he was a vampire, about 25 with short cropped blond hair and bright blue eyes that held many secrets. I looked back to see Viper cross her arms over her chest and look away from me with her jaw set. "My apologises," the man continued, "What is your name?"

"I…I'm, Gabriel Von Alberict," My eyes scanned the room. My breath became heavier as I counted the number of werewolves in the room.

"My name is Tyzan, now would you mind telling us how master Darkcrow…died?"

I nodded hesitantly as the hungry eyes of the vampires and werewolves turned to me again, all accusing. I told them the story; many of them turned to each other and whispered, others just stared at me in shock. "He died slowly, from loss of blood," I finished. I heard Viper's cry of anguish behind me. I turned to see her biting her white knuckles with glassy eyes staring away from everyone. "Viper, why did you bring him here?" Tyzan asked with a gentle tone to his voice. Viper straightened herself and said in such a low voice, it was almost a whisper, "He took on eight adult werewolves. He defeated most of them. I heard him while I was waiting for Drake. I helped him out and when he said he knew Drake and that he was….. I brought him here. He displayed a lot of courage and the way he fought off the werewolves was commendable, he can help us, he obviously couldn't help Drake," Her voice turned icy and her eyes narrowed. Those words stung, I winced slightly at the tone she said it in, so full of hate and sorrow. Why?

She shot me one last venomous glare before half running to another door, I swear I could hear her sobbing as she went. One of the young werewolves at the table stood up and was about to go after her but Tyzan held his hand up. "No Ulzae, leave her,"

"What is this all about?" I asked confused.

"We are the rebellion against the elder werewolves and vampires. Us here all want the same thing, we are all friends here you need not be afraid. I looked once more around the room at the werewolves."

"Why would you want to rebel against the elders?" I asked

"You don't know about the conspiracy?" Came the man at the doors voice, and I turned to look at him. His dark skin reflected no light and his thick black deadlocks hung loosely over his broad shoulders and square face. I shook my head.

"Conspiracy?"

"Yes Gabriel that is what we are all here for." Tyzan started sadly.

"The vampire and werewolf elders have a vicious plot to make themselves stronger. They are planning to sacrifice six young werewolves and six vampires. They pretend to be at war but in secret they are working together."

His words were a flood of knowledge, is that why they would have killed me, as a sacrifice.

"Why" I asked.

"By mixing the two bloods in a special ceremony they can turn themselves into hybrids"

"HYBRIDS" I gaped.

"That is one of the reasons why drake was important to viper and to us. He was our inside man for the vampires."

"D-Drake was a rogue" I stuttered hardly believing it.

"And Victor Black," Tyzan said nodding to the doorman.

"Is the inside man for the werewolves."

"Will you join us, Gabriel Von Alberict?" Tyzan suddenly said.

I thought long and hard about what he'd said, about the cult, about Viper and the others, about Drake. Tension built as I thought, some of the rogue's were becoming restless. What was I to do? I guess I wouldn't last long as rouge with the Elders out there. Drake, he'd want me here to help. He'd been trying to tell me that last night.

I nodded, "Yes I will," The rogue werewolves smiled, whilst the other vampires did not look pleased. Tyzan smiled, "Well with that settled, Ulzae please show Gabriel to his room,"

"Yes, sir," The young wolf stood up again and walked towards me, He was about my age, he was hunched over with arms longer then they should be. His fingers were sharp like claws and his ears were slightly pricked up. Ulzae was covered in skin but he had thick silvery patches of hair on his arms, back and a shaggy mop of silver hair on his head.

"Come on then" Ulzae said walking to the door Viper went through. I followed close behind. As I walked through the door I suddenly came across a rusted metal staircase that wound down. It creaked as if in agony as we both descended it down into the dark earth. The lighting became dimmer when we reached the cold underground tunnel. Ulzae walking in long strides down the tunnel and I practically had to run to keep up with him. We passed many wooden doors but finally Ulzae stopped at a rusted one.

"This will be your room." Ulzae said opening the door. "I'm sure Tyzan will get some clothes for you but for now you're just going to have to make do with what ya' got." He left me at the door and strode off back into the dim light of the tunnel. I walked inside to the room I would most probably be spending the rest of my life in, without enthusiasm. It was just as cold as the tunnel outside it, and looked very unusual to what I was used to. The bed at the end of the room looked nothing like the coffin and beside it lay a small unlit lamp on the bedside table as well as a heater on the floor. A kitchen was built into the wall to my right and in the middle between the bed and kitchen was a lounge and what I believed to be called a radio. I went over to my bed and lit the lamp and ignited the heater. I opened the door to the right of the bed and saw a toilet shower and sink. As I closed the bathroom door behind me I noticed the front door was ajar and so I walked over to close it. But as I grabbed the handle I stopped. The door opposite me was also left a little open and inside the room I heard sobbing. I stepped out into the tunnel and walked up to the door

to get a better view and I saw Viper on her bed crying heavily into a necklace. Of what I could see it was a copper carved heart that was linked to a gold chain. Viper held it in her hand and stared at it with misty eyes.

I was about to walk back to my own room when a hand fell on my shoulder. I spun around in surprise to see Ulzae looked at me with suspicion.

He shot me a look of warning when he realised that I had been watching Viper.

"Go back to your room," He said sourly.

I nodded guiltily from being caught spying and started to walk back to my room. I turned back as I was surprised that Ulzae was not following me there.

"go on," he ushered to me as he slipped inside Viper's room. I should have kept walking but curiosity compelled me to listen to their conversation and so I did. Creeping up to the door I heard solemn voices.

"I, I, I wish I just had one more night to, to say goodbye." Viper sobbed.

"you know he loved you very much, Viper." Ulzae comforted her.

"I, loved, so much" Viper said chocking on her words as she buried herself into Ulzae's arms.

"shhhhhh" Ulzae said gently rocking her.

"ok now, take a deep breath" Ulzae instructed her as he patted her back. Viper took in a shaky breath.

"now let it all go" Ulzae said breathing out the same time she did.

"feel better?" he asked.

"uh-ha" Viper sniffled.

"Tyzan wants to see you" Ulzae said wiping her teary eyes.

I decided it was time to go, they would probably come out of the door any moment and it would be best if I was not there.

I turned and walked into my room, only falling asleep a while after Viper had left to see Tyzan.