Ravenswood Ch. 07

Chpt.7

Here's the next chapter of this series, one that continues to put a different, more Sci-Fi spin on the age-old vampire myth. By the way, the term vampire is a human construct and not one of Terrian lexicon. Therefore, they don't consider themselves vampires, regardless of their similarities in abilities.

Because it's science fiction there are aliens, good ones and bad ones, and yes, the good ones are here to stand against those who would suppress the more fragile human race. In this chapter, Maura meets her biggest challenge so far, and continues to struggle internally with it for some time.

This chapter could be rated PG-13 for action, but I still like to caution my readers. I hope you enjoy it, leave a comment once you've read it. Good feedback is the lifeblood of any writer...dreamweaver594.

7- Moving Day

Two weeks later, Jason cradled the phone on his shoulder while carrying a box from Maura's bedroom. "Hey Sis, we need a few more large trash bags while you're at it. And can you grab carryout for lunch? I just cleaned the fridge." He sat the box down next to the others. "Oof, what does she have in here?"

He stood up, twisting the kinks out of his neck. "And remind Maura that she still needs to pack her bathroom stuff. Oh, and don't forget to set the warder stones on the perimeter when you come back. Okay, bye."

Jason pulled the small empty leather pouch that held the warder stones from his pocket and deposited the bag on the kitchen counter. Lisa took the stones with her when she and Maura went shopping for last minute items to help with the move.

The doorbell rang and Jason peeked out of the back hallway holding a large box in his hands. He wondered who that could be. His grandmother wasn't due until tomorrow. He glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. The landlord said he wouldn't be by until after 5pm. "Coming, just a minute."

Jason juggled the heavy box and managed to open the front door. The box partially blocked his view of two women who stood with clipboards in their hands. "Good morning, Mr. ah..." The first woman looked down on her clipboard for his name. "Ah, yes, Custos. My name is Amanda. Mr. Donaldson, the building superintendent, sent us. We understand that you are moving tomorrow, is that correct?"

The two women walked past a rather perplexed Jason still balancing a heavy box. "I thought Mr. Donaldson would be over around five."

"He sent us instead, my name is Alice," said the second woman briskly, "He'll be tied up all day with other concerns."

The first woman, Amanda, began looking into all the rooms while the Alice kept Jason distracted with several questions. "Have you finished cleaning the apartment? Is there a security deposit that you expect to reclaim? We will be doing a thorough inspection as soon as you indicate that you are ready for us but in the meantime we would like to take a quick look around. Purely routine you understand."

"Is this necessary right now?" Jason set down the heavy box near a collection of others stacked in the living room area. "I've been cleaning all morning so I'm sure that the place isn't ready for a checkout inspection."

"No, no, sorry," said Alice. "Take your time. We just need you to be through before five pm."

Amanda returned from the far room. Jason turned to her; she shook her head at Alice.

"What are you looking for? Wait a minute. You two aren't inspectors! Who the hell are...?" But a massive blow cut him off; Alice had sunk a knife through his ribs, hilt deep. She pulled the knife out and stabbed him three more times before he collapsed on the floor.

As Jason collapsed Amanda pushed a stack of boxes over. "Throw a few boxes around to make it look like a burglary."

"Obviously, she's not here." Alice licked the knife as she looked down as Jason began to lose consciousness. "Foolish human, harboring a criminal just won't do. Hmm, this tastes different." Alice spit the blood from her mouth as the pool of Jason's blood began to grow.

"Leave the knife," Amanda said. She leaned over Jason. "We'll be back lover boy."

Ten minutes later Lisa and Maura arrived back at the apartment complex. Maura took several bags out of the trunk of the car and gathered them together to make the long climb up the two flights of stairs to their apartment. "Lisa, I've got most of the stuff. Grab the boxes and I'll meet you upstairs."

Lisa sat several stones along the front of the apartment building. "Okay, up in a minute. I need to set the warder stones."

As Maura climbed the last flight of stairs to the apartment she sensed something was wrong. Seeing the front door open, a feeling of dread enveloped her. "Lisa! Quick! Something's wrong!"

Maura sprinted towards the door, her movement a blur. In front of her, Jason was sprawled inside the doorway covered in blood. The color drained from her face nearly matching Jason's ashen shade.

As Lisa appeared in the doorway she saw Maura smeared with Jason's blood trying to compress his wounds. "He's dying, Lisa, he's dying."

Lisa threw several towels at Maura. "Here, take these and try to stop the bleeding! I'll call Grandmother!" Lisa pushed a few buttons and in an instant Grandmother answered. "He's been stabbed...yes, several times...they look critical...No...an amateur did it."

Lisa knelt down and with her free hand she tried to put pressure on one of the stab wounds. She spoke into her cellphone. "I don't know, probably the ones who have been watching the apartment all week...what? We took the warder stones with us...Jason insisted...what? Yes, I'll tell her." Lisa turned to a frightened Maura. "Grandmother says you know what you must do."

Maura covered her mouth in shock. "But if I do - I don't know how his body will react. It may turn him mad."

Holding the phone in one hand and pushing against Jason's chest with the other Lisa screamed at Maura. "Grandmother says it won't. Just do it!"

"How does she know it won't?" Maura was nearly hysterical.

"She just does, now do it! Grandmother says you have no choice!" Tears began to well up in Lisa's eyes. "Please Maura," she whispered pleadingly. "Just do it...now."

Maura turned to Jason in her arms. Lisa dropped the phone and put both of her hands on Jason's chest as Maura opened her mouth. Maura glanced at Lisa's hands. A golden light began to glow from beneath them. She turned to Lisa in wonder.

"Quickly Maura, we're running out of time!"

Maura's fangs extended then she brought her wrist to her mouth and sunk her fangs into her flesh. She moved her head to one side and tore open a gash across her wrist. As her blood spurted and oozed out, she brought her wrist to Jason's mouth. The Terrian's blood slipped slowly into his mouth.

Maura knew that the rejuvenation powers of a Terrian's blood were strong but she didn't know if it would be enough. She dabbed her blood from around his mouth with her shirttail. "His spirit is weak, perhaps we're too late." Her voice was trembling as she licked the wound to stop the bleeding.

Lisa moved her hand to Jason's throat. "The pulse is weak but it's still a pulse. Let's take him to his room."

They lifted his limp body and carried him to the bed. There was blood everywhere, on the floor, on Jason, on both of them. Once they placed him on the bed Lisa placed her hand on his head and murmured another soft incantation. A golden light reappeared beneath her touch. Maura slipped silently out of the room, tears streaming down her face.

The floor near the front door was mostly clear of blood when Lisa returned from Jason's bedroom. "He's stable now, I think. Grandmother is on her way with friends from the village. We need to pack whatever else we can now and be ready when they arrive. Thank you Maura. You saved his life."

"Are you sure?" Maura looked up at Lisa, mascara staining her damp cheeks.

"Even now his heart beat is getting stronger. He's tough, Maura, he'll be okay. Thank you."

Maura returned to scrubbing the floor. "Where are they taking him?"

"To Grandmother's home. You're coming too."

"But..."

"No buts." Lisa interrupted. "You're part of us now, and we're part of you."

"They'll just follow me, they won't give up. They'll find me in Ravenswood."

"No they won't, there's a barrier around that valley. They'll never get through. It really is the safest place in the world for you and Jason right now. So come on, we have packing to do."

Maura dumped the last of the bloody water into the sink and followed Lisa into the bedrooms to pack.

By mid-day she noticed that some of the color in Jason's skin was beginning to return as they dressed his wounds with new bandages.

"He'll be fine, Maura." Lisa rubbed her shoulders tenderly. "Let's leave him for now and finish packing, okay?"

An hour later the front door burst open and Vera, followed by several men, came quickly into the room. From out of the back hallway Maura raced towards the front door in a blur. Her blade was slicing through the air with ferocious intensity, her face a mask of snarling rage.

"Maura! No! We're friends!" Shouted Vera as a shield of blue energy emerged from the villagers behind her. Maura froze in her tracks; her blade held inches from Vera's heart. "Calm down...everybody." Vera stood firm and took a big breath.

Lisa ran from the back hallway when she heard Vera's shouts. "It's okay Maura," she said soothingly, "they're friends of the family."

The room was filled with a charge of energy emanating from the blue weave as it engulfed Vera. The ferocity of Maura's charge filled the room with energy that sizzled and crackled along the length of Maura's blade. Slowly, Maura recognized Vera and the tension that erupted from their sudden entrance dissipated.

"It's my fault," said Vera, "barging in here like that was stupid. I should have known better. I'm beside myself with dread. I didn't think. My apologies Maura."

But Maura ran off to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

My God she was going from one extreme to the other, she might have killed his grandmother!

Vera started barking orders like a drill sergeant, gesturing towards the stack of boxes in the middle of the room. "Nathan, have Michal help you take all this and put it in the van. Liam, bring the stretcher into Jason's bedroom." Vera turned to Lisa. "Where's Maura?"

Lisa gestured across the room. "I saw her go in there. She's a basket case, Grandmother. She's fought against what she had to do today with every fiber of her being. Now she's..."

"I know. I saw that. Obviously I didn't help matters. I'll talk to her. Help Liam with the stretcher and we'll be out in a minute or two.

Lisa nodded her head and walked towards Jason's bedroom as Vera softly knocked on Maura's door and opened it slowly. "May I come in?"

Maura sat on the floor staring blankly out the window; her blade was lying across her lap. Vera walked quietly over to her, knelt down, and placed her hands on her head. She whispered soothing words to quiet her mind. Her shoulders shuddered briefly and then she slumped into Vera's lap, falling into a deep sleep.

As the last of Jason and Maura's world was loaded into the van, Nathan and Liam brought Jason down the steps and placed him into the back. Michal cradling a still sleeping Maura followed them. Lisa and Vera, holding Maura's sword in its scabbard, were not far behind. With the van loaded and its motor running, the non-descript panel van began to move silently down the street. It turned the corner with a 'pop' and vanished.

Almost an hour later, the van touched down gently in front of Vera's cottage and the men quickly set about unloading it and moving Jason into his old bedroom. Maura, still groggy from sleep, stood silently as the men place him in his bed. Vera arranged the covers and then bent over to kiss him on the forehead. The men silently left the bedroom leaving the two women standing watch.

Vera turned to Maura who stood near the bedroom door. "He's still sleeping and we must let him rest for now. I don't expect him to wake up for a day or two. We nearly lost him, Maura. I was such a fool to give in to his stubbornness. But I won't give in to the melancholy of self-doubt, and you shouldn't either. You did a brave and selfless thing, I thank you for the gift of my grandson's life."

Maura looked at Vera searching her face for more answers to what had happened. "Will he be all right? Will my Terrian blood drive him mad?" Then Maura heard the now familiar voice of Jason's grandmother in her head. "Shush, daughter, he'll be fine. Because of you he will heal faster than you expect and his mind will be as clear and sharp as ever."

"We should go now, he's resting peacefully. I know you've had a stressful day and I'm so very sorry for this but your presence is expected at the council." She paused and wrapped her arms around Maura's shoulders. "Now dear."

[The Council of Elders]

The council room was old, very old. It was a large, circular room with only huge fireplaces interrupting the circular nature. The echoes of footsteps made one think it was immense. Maura was directed to the center of the room by a priest dressed in a purple robe; her footsteps echoed off the walls. Wood smoke from the soot-covered fireplaces set against the outside walls reinforced the ancient nature of this meeting place. The ceiling was so high Maura could barely make out the pattern of wooden supports that crisscrossed from one side of the room to the other. There were no windows along the curving walls. Only a single skylight opening at the very peak of the roof allowed a shaft of sunlight to pierce the darkness and illuminate her where she stood silently in the center of a large circle of chairs filled with the hooded Elders of Ravenswood. This was their council chamber.

The voices seemed to come from everywhere and it was difficult for Maura to determine which figure was speaking. Their faces were not only shrouded in the shadows of the room but partially covered with long dark hoods as well.

One voice rose above the clamor and the room fell silent. "There is a rent in the fabric that protects this world. We have sent weavers to repair it before others can enter."

"Will they be safe?" Came another voice.

"We have sent guardians to watch and defend if necessary." The first voice replied.

Another coughed and spoke slowly. "How did this woman come here?"

"She's an 'Alice'." Replied a high-pitched voice from across the room.

"Did she enter the same way as the others?" The slow speaker asked.

"No, she fell through a 'rabbit hole', a portal defended by someone from her world. A new voice added to the conversation.

"Is the portal safe?"

"Yes," replied a gravelly voiced elder. "Guardians and weavers have been sent to verify. We're also inspecting the rest of the weave. Hopefully, no others will come through."

Another voice spoke from behind Maura. "So she didn't arrive with the assassins?"

"No." Came a soft reply.

A short stout man stood by a fireplace and then moved towards his seat. He spoke in a low tone. "It appears that someone or something is attempting to penetrate the weave from the other side. This isn't the first time it has happened but this time they seem to be more determined."

Another voice rumbled. "Precautions are being made."

Another with a tone of impatience spoke up. "In the meantime what should be done with her?"

"She's a Terrian," a raspy voice bellowed. "She should be eliminated like the others."

Maura glanced in alarm at those words. She felt the power of the room. These people seemed old, very old, and incredibly powerful. The energy they radiated was magnificent and frightening at the same time.

"Agreed. We cannot trust her to run wild among the humans, the fear alone would be cataclysmic."

"What is your name Terrian?" Demanded the hooded elder who sat directly in front of her.

Maura turned slowly to face the questioner. She trembled in the sunlight. "Maura Telie-Duranoc, my father was Valek Telie-Duranoc, my mother's name was Thalia her family name was Moran.

A murmur went around the room. "You say your father's name was Valek?" Another voice from the far side of the room rumbled loudly.

"I did. He is dead. Members of the D'liache clan killed him." Maura's rage was palpable. "I watched him die. Then I killed his murderers. Now they want me."

Murmurs rose in volume until..."I will stand for her." A lone figure arose from the far side of the room and lowered the hood that shrouded her face. She seemed to glimmer with light that radiated like an aura about her. "She will become my ward."

A clamor of voices arose with that announcement, and then a single voice arose from the clamor. "Vera, do you realize what you are saying? She is a Terrian, a member of the bloodlust!"

Vera walked slowly towards Maura who stood defiantly at the center of the circle.

"Will you accept my protection and become my ward, Terrian?" As the figure approached the sunlight that illuminated Maura, fell across the face of Jason's grandmother. The kindly smile that had always been on Vera's face was replaced by a stern and piercing stare into Maura's eyes.

"I have looked into your heart and know you for who you are, Maura Telie-Duranoc. You have done much already in service to the council and my family. Would you pledge to serve the council with your life?"

Maura searched Vera's eyes for any sign of tenderness but at that moment there was none to be found. Maura scanned the shrouded faces in the chamber and came back to gaze at Vera. She nodded yes silently and her body began to tremble again. A murmur of voices filled the council chamber.

"Then kneel child and accept protection as my ward. Swear allegiance to the council and all who serve it."

Maura knelt before Vera and spoke with a steady voice. "I swear to serve in body and heart and gratefully accept and honor the ward of your protection."

Time seemed to stand still for a moment. Even Maura's heartbeat seemed to stop. In an instant, the chamber was empty except for Maura, kneeling alone in the sunlight.

She rose slowly to her feet, her body shaking noticeably, and she walked silently out of the room.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The author copyrights Ravenswood and all of its parts. The reproduction of any part of Ravenswood without the written permission of the author is expressly prohibited. This story is a work of fiction. All of the characters, their names and the places they visit, are from the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to persons, places, or things is not intentional and purely coincidental.