" Alex! Were you planning on saying good-bye to your dear old mother?" I ask reproachfully.
Alex turns around before he enters the dart bay. My hansom son. He grew his hair out to match any Wraith and his lithe frame spoke of his mixed heritage. His mind was as strong as any vampire, as was his appetite for blood though thankfully his inherited his mothers self control.
He smiles at me as he sees me approach him, I am always momentarily dazed when ever he smiles at me. Maybe I'm just a dotting mother but he was perfect in every way. He looked to be in his early twenties but it has really been eight thousands years since he was born.
" Mom, your not old. Besides, I am only going down to the planet to get some things. I won't be gone long." his voice was like smooth satin that would make any woman fall in love.
" Not old? Your just sucking up. And I don't care that your going to the surface or for how long, but would it kill ya to visit your mother every now and then?" I grinned as I said this and Alex laughed.
" I'll be back soon, I love you. Tell father to take it easy." he said mischievously.
I raise my eyebrows at him, " If you don't stop saying stuff like that to him he is going to blow a gasket. Behave yourself. I love you too, Alex. Fly safe." I kissed him on his left cheek before he started back to the dart bay.
I followed and watched him agilely climb into the nearest dart. The all to familiar buzz signaled he was ready to take off and the dart slowly rose into the air. I watched as his dart disappeared through one of the many exits for the darts. Walking to my little nook above the bay, I absentmindedly follow Alex to the planet that our hive was orbiting. Slipping into a comfortable position I close my eyes, I would never tell him that I do this every time he leaves. Just call me an overprotective mom.
It only takes him five minutes to enter the planets atmosphere. His readout says that there is a village three miles to the west and he carefully lands his dart among some trees that would provide adequate camouflage until he got back. The opaque shell above him dissolved allowing him to jump out. Surveying the surrounding area he detects no human presence. Nodding to himself, he heads in the direction of the village. He quickly finds a trail that heads in that direction and hikes casually along. Because I being his talented mother he also inherited my ability to change his appearance.
As he continues to walk, his typical Wraith clothes form into a less conspicuous outfit that would more fit a young farmers son, his long red/white hair stayed the same. Though his eyes didn't appear to change he knew that he would appear to have "normal" pupils now. The trees began to thin and a few people started to appear along the trail from other villages. He was in sight of the village when his sensitive ears picked up a muffled scream. Stopping, he looks around. The scream again, to his right further into the trees. Automatically he starts in that direction. He doesn't even go ten yard before he find the source. Disgust fills him as he sees a young woman, her white cloth dress torn to pieces beside her, struggling to get away from an older man. Her bare skin shows signs of abuse previous to this encounter. His disgust quickly turns to a loathsome revulsion as he remembers the stories I told him about my life on earth, he wondered if this is similar to my experience with that human monster I referred to as Him.
The man has his dirty hand over her mouth as he tries to silence her desperate yells for help. Without thinking, Alex runs forward and grasps the collar of the mas shirt. Pulling back, he lifts him and throws him into a tree. The woman, shocked, just watches as the man stumbles to his feet again.
" You idiot boy! Couldn't you see I was in the middle of something?" his voice is harsh to my ears.
I didn't say anything and this seemed to infuriate the human for he charge at me, in doing so he also pulled out a evil looking knife. Two could play this game, as Mother would say. The woman whimpers and I glance towards her to see if she is well enough. Before I can face the man again, a sharp pain spears my right sides. My yell of pain was also a yell of anger as I turn my head towards the man standing next to me, his cool blade pushed up to the handle in my side.
" This ought to teach you, Boy." he breathes putrid smelling air into my face with a sneer.
My only response is a furious growl building in my chest. Taken by surprise, the man releases his knife and jumps back. I reach down and grab the handle before swiftly pulling it out. A hiss of pain follows as I throw the blade far into the trees. My wound heals quickly and I do not even feel the burning or the hunger because I fed before leaving the hive.
The man is backing up, preparing to make a run for it but I race forward and fling him against another tree with enough force to knock him out. I watch if slump to the ground and stay there before turning back to the woman. She had grabbed what remained of her dress and had piled it in front of her.
I hurry forward while undoing my course tan shirt, ripping it from my torso. She cowers away from me as I reach her. I suddenly realize that she must think that I...
I throw a blazing glare at the mans unconscious form four feet away before carefully turning back to the scared woman.
" Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you. Here, take my shirt and cover yourself. I will take to the village if you wish." I knew that hearing my calm, smooth voice would quiet those fears. With shaky hands, she reaches for my shirt and pulls it to herself. I stand and turn around to give her some privacy knowing that she would need to discard her torn dress to put the shirt on.
Her heart races as she stands and I hear the ruffling of the shirt as she pulls it over her body. I feel her warmth as she approaches me and I turn to face her. The shirt is to big and baggy but it covers the more important parts, her long blond hair is tangled and covered with leaves. Bright blue eyes watch me with deep sincerity and gratefulness.
" Thank you kind stranger for saving me," her eyes move to the side I got stabbed, " we should get you to the village and have you treated." her voice was barely above whisper.
I thought of what would happen if a human healer examined me, " No. There is no need, I am fine. Let me take you to the village though so that you may get better clothes."
Her lips twitched, " And you your shirt back?" her heart started beating faster as she starred at me. This was not the first time that a human woman found me attractive, at least that is what Mother said.
I started back toward the trail and heard her follow me, heart pounding the entire way. There was no one on the trail when we emerged from the trees and we made out way into the village. Gasps and startled yelling greeted our entrance. The woman walked up to a older man and wrapped her thin arms around him. Her Father.
Before I attract any more attention to myself, I turn and walk deeper into the village market. With a sense of unease I look for what I came here for. Something for, Mother. She says the the day of her birth is only two days away and what kind of a son would I be if I didn't get her something beautiful?
Scanning the displayed objects, I wonder what she would like best. Most of what I see would be useless to her, clothes, cookware. Maybe there isn't anything here for Mother. I am about to turn around and leave when a rainbow shine catches my attention. Curious, I approach the vendor who is selling jewelery. That which attracted me was a metal flower embedded with a clear rock that Mother calls a diamond, a fragile looking silver chain dangles from the display rack.
" Excuse me? How much for that pendant?"
" Oh, let's see. It is one of my best, but you look like a respectable young man. May I ask who this piece is destined for?"
" My Mother."
" I see, lucky lady to have a son such as you. What do you have to trade?"
I reached out to show the vendor my offer, it was a red rock that Mother referred to as a ruby. She had given it to me many years ago and it wasn't the only one that I possessed. Besides, Mother deserved something amazing.
" I say! Where did you get that? Didn't steal it, did you?" I was always fascinated by humans responses, especially to the rare rocks.
" No, my Mother gave it to me as a give when I was little. I decided that it would be better to give her something nice from it."
" Okay, okay. I say you have a deal..." the hesitation said he was looking for a name.
" Alexander."
" Odd name. You have a deal Alexander." he handed me the item and I gave him the red rock.
I thanked him and left, ready to return to the hive. I exited the village and made my way down the trail back to the dart. I only had a short amount of time, the Queen had granted me a little time before the culling started. Though, even if the culling did start now I can still make it off the planet.
I must admit, it was peaceful walking under these trees. I soon arrive at the place that I entered the trail in the first place, I quietly moved through the trees until I saw the dart. Climbing up, I place Mother's gift carefully inside the dart before jumping back down so that I can replace my clothes and allow my eyes to return to my normal.
It felt nice to let everything return to normal and I prepared to leap into the cockpit of the dart, when suddenly I heard a loud crack and searing pain exploded through me. I tried to pull myself up but two more cracks tainted the air and agony ripped through my body. My grip weakened and I fell to the ground as two men approached. One was the same man that I had left unconscious under the tree, I didn't recognize the other man.
As they advanced closer to me I saw a metal weapon in their hands. The other man cocked his and pointed it at me as the other neared me. He stopped above me, looking from the dart back to me and studying me.
" What a discovery. I didn't know that the Wraith experimented and kept the results alive. What makes you so special?" he placed the butt of his weapon against one of my wounds and pressed down. Pain burned through me and I clenched my teeth in an effort to remain silent.
" Answer me." I wanted to rip his vile little heart out!
" I am not an experiment."
" Well, what are you? You aren't Wraith, not completely anyway."
I tried to growl but blood interfered and all that came out was a gurgling sound.
" My Mother is not Wraith, my Father is."
" Your mother, huh? What kind of a sick, twisted human would keep something like you alive?"
" I never said my Mother was human. In fact, even Wraith treat her with respect." a spasm of pain rolls through my body.
The man sneers at me and hits me with the butt causing everything to go dark.
" Alex!" my eyes fly open as I slid out of my nook and fell through the dart bay. My wings came out and I flew directly to the closest dart. Folding my wings back in, I settle into position and wait for the canopy to form over me. It feels like forever until the buzz starts and I aim the dart to exit the hive. As fast as I can I follow the signal of Alex's dart praying that I'm not to late.
My readout registered two life signs moving away from the signal. No. I land my dart next to Alex's and resist the urge to claw my way out as I wait for the canopy to dissolve. Gripping the side of the dart I swing myself out and land on the springy ground. I search the area, my heart drops as I see a form laying close by. I run closer, hopeful, but vampire senses don't lie. No heartbeat, no life, no chance for healing. I stare into his unseeing eyes and felt a wrath that I have never experienced in my nine thousand years.
I ached for the death of the humans who killed my baby, my Alexander. My talons lengthened to their full potential and my fangs grew, tingling with the need to sink into flesh. I close my eyes for a moment and turn my face up to the sky as I let a ferocious snarl reverberate through the trees. I was moving before my eyes were completely open, following the scent of the monsters.
Only four and a half minutes had passed since I landed my dart so the Monsters didn't have time to really run for it. I caught up to them within a matter of seconds. The one didn't even see me, did not even know that I was tearing his throat out because he was already dead. The other one saw and fired his weapon (which looked like a really early version of a shot gun) and shot me square in the chest.
He smiled as he watched collapse to the ground with my torso covered in my blood. My clawed fingers curled with the sudden fire burning around my rib cage, and in my throat. I had not considered the fact that it was time to feed in my mad dash to save Alex. It was all for nothing. I heard the cocking of the wanna-be-shot-gun and the cold of the barrel pushing against my left shoulder. I watched the world spin as I was rolled onto my back. His ugly face was over me with an expression that brought back memories of Him. I winced as I saw His face clearly in my mind (even after nine thousand years he still haunted my dreams) then I winced again from the pain.
" Where'd you come from? Why aren't you dead yet?" you stupid, inbred, bastard.
I bare my fangs as he positions his gun barrel to point at my face, " I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were in charge." I hissed through my clenched teeth.
" I have this," he shook the gun barrel in front of me, " of course I'm in charge!"
I hear buzzing in the distance, lots of buzzing. Darts. Would my Wraith be among them? I know that it wouldn't have taken him long to hear of my sudden departure. I smiled at the thought of my Wraith appearing behind this sad excuse for a blood bag, perhaps all I needed to do was stale.
" Why you smiling? What are you? Some sort of freak like that thing I just killed?" wounds immediately forgotten, I lung forward and knock the gun out of his dirty hands and jump on top of him bringing him to the ground. I wrap my left hand around his neck while I place my right talons against his face.
" Say that again, I dare you." I hissed in his ear.
" Why do you care that I killed it?"
I growled as he called my son an it, " Because that freak, that it, that you killed was my son! You! You killed my Alexander, that was his name! Why! Why did you kill him? He was leaving this planet and wasn't going to come back! WHY?" I tightened my grip on his throat until he was sputtering. I saw fear and understanding in his eyes, but I more pleased about the fear.
" Because he beat me, that was the reason we followed him. Then when we saw the Wraith ship and him changing in front of us, we knew that he was dangerous and needed to die to save others."
" You idiots! The only reason he beat you in the first place was because you were rapping that young woman! This is your own fault! You would have been better off my Wraith finding you, he would have just fed from you, I can make it last. Drag your death slowly and agonizingly out for days as I feast on you."
I reviled in his horror as he processed what I had said.
Before he could think of anything other, I opened my mouth and dug my fangs deep into his neck. I growled in victory as his scream permeated the air and as I injected pain venom into his body those screams grew in intensity. His blood, though just being blood, tasted off and I didn't swallow any of it. I sucked, opening my mouth enough to let the blood spill out, and injected more and more venom into his system. Soon, my burning torture got to a point when he could scream anymore and instead started writhing under me. I sucked enough blood that his death would be to quick for my liking but I didn't have time to just sit hear and watch him die slowly. I released his neck before stepping back to watch the life literally bleed from him.
I observed as his writhing grew less and less, drifting in pleasure as he finally stopped moving and his heart ceased to beat.
By this time, the fire in my throat has spread to the rest of my body and I'm close to screaming myself. Slowly, I stumble in the direction of the darts and Alex's body. Instead of taking the first dart back to the hive, I start digging with my taloned hands. I continue until a decent grave is visible before stopping and looking at the body again, tears that I had held back started free flowing. Gently, I run my hand over his face, closing his sightless eyes. Sliding my arms under him I pick him up and carry him to the grave that I've just dug. Carefully I lower him inside and arrange his head and hands so that it looks like he's just sleeping, the only thing that really gave it all away was the gaping holes in his chest with dried blood surrounding them.
Silently, I pile the earth back into the grave while I did my best not to look at Alex's body as much as possible. I knew that the only reason I wasn't losing it right now was the thought of my Wraith back on the hive. I threw the last handful on top while trying to think of a way to properly mark Alex's grave without being to obvious about who lay here. Finally I decided on a purely vampire notion. Raising my right wrist to my mouth, I bite into my own flesh until a steady stream of blood is flowing before I pull away. Knowing that my healing abilities are severely diminished because of the already low blood level in my body I take my time pouring my blood over the entire length of the grave.
The theory is that where ever vampire blood drenches and soaks into organic surfaces (like the ground, tree roots, leaves, flowers and the like) whatever grows there will forever grow blood red, no matter what happens, because the blood can also make the area into immortal marble. Forever safe of whatever the humans might try to do to it. This is one of the reasons I chose this route, to seal Alex in a casket of my blood where I can keep him safe for all eternity.
By the time my wrist did heal the soil before me was already hardening and I stood up, preparing to take a dart back to the hive.
A branch snapping behind me alerts me to someone approaching and even in my weakened state I can be a force to be reckoned with.
Whirling around, my hands covered in dirt and blood as well as my face and clothes, I hiss in warning to whatever comes my way.
I didn't expect to see my Wraith appear through the trees and I found myself running forward. He wrapped his arms around me to prevent me from falling to the ground in a heap, his eyes widening as he sees the condition that I'm in.
" What happened?" my tears start free flowing again as I point toward the hard red mass that is the ground around Alex's grave. I project the image of the grave before I picture setting Alex inside. His arms tightened as he growled.
He started picturing hunting down whoever did it and I showed him the twisted face of the monster who pulled the trigger.
" Trust me, my way was much more gratifying." he didn't say anything, just held me.
We stood that way for seven minutes before deciding to go back to the hive, there were two darts so no one had to hitch a ride. I took the farthest while he took the other. I waited for his dart to start up and form that dark canopy before I activated mine. When my canopy formed I looked down at my controls, ready to fly up to the hive, and I see something glitter. My heart aches as I see a silver chain with a silver flower embedded with a beautiful polished diamond.
Before I command my dart into the air, I reach down and pick up the necklace. Oh, Alex. I cry as I unhook the chain and put the cool metal around my neck. The flower hangs just over my heart with a delicate pressure.
Sighing, I grab the controls and rise into the air so that I can return to my hive.
TBC
Good news too! Our Atlantis team(from Rising) is in the next chapter!