Night passed on as Raven and Cinda slept soundly in each other's arms. Soon it came time for them to wake up and get dressed. Demon hunter drank from the small pool as his master and Cinda finished dressing. Darshon looked out the mouth of the cave to see the sun would not be out for awhile that day. Clouds still overtook the sun. "We should be heading out of here. Now that I have what I came for, I want away from this place." Raven said still remembering his experience at the mirror. "Yes...I don't know why...but my mother...I feel she could be in terrible danger. We need to go back to the village and make sure she's all right."
"All right Cinda. We'll leave this forsaken place and make sure all is well with her. Demon Hunter!" Raven called as the horse trotted over to him, then Darshon joined him at his side. Peck flew over to his shoulder. "Raven, be careful. I have a feeling evil doings have occured while we were at the task at hand." The bird answered.
The small band got everything together and prepared to leave the Mountains of eternal night. Since it was still so dark, Darshon could walk freely without the safety of a blanket to cover him. They rode progressively out of the mountains. Cinda looked back to the cave where she and Raven had become lovers. Things between them seemed different now, yet remained the same. They still had a friendship, a kinship between them now that they knew they were both half human, half vampire. And that some how seemed to strengthen their bond. She wrapped her arms around him as she now rode with him upon Demon Hunter. She rested her head upon his massive, strong back. Then, she jerked up for a moment. "Cinda?" Raven asked looking behind him. "Raven..my mother...I just...I have this terrible feeling." Cinda replied feeling a wave of fear rush over her. She nor Raven had no idea of the horror they would soon come upon.
Raven took off like lightening and gasped in horror at what he saw. There laid the now rotting bodies of several young women..and one in particular that he recognized...Cinda's mother. "OH GOD NO!" Cinda screamed and fell to her knees. "Oh Dear God...No...Drake...Drake...DRAKE!" Raven roared with the voice of vengence! He knew immidiately that this was Drake's work. All of them...every last girl, drained, butchered...like cattle. The sight of it made Raven's blood boil over with rage. He would kill Drake. Kill him and throw him to hell with his bare hands. "You raped my mother...you cursed me for all time, you are the cause of her death, you have now cursed the one I love...Drake..I'll find you...so help me I will find you, and when I do..I'll throw you to hell with my own two hands. He ran over to Cinda and took her into his arms. "Mother....she's ...they killed her!" She sobbed and clung to Raven tightly. "I'll find them Cinda. I'll find them, I'll find the all! I'll make Drake and that demon brother of mine pay...with their lives." Raven growled. He picked Cinda up and carried her away from the gore not wanting her to see it any longer. "Darshon, guard her. Demon Hunter, stay with them. Peck, you watch her as well. Any sign of danger, you alert me. I have to go ...*take care of the bodies.*" Raven said. He didn't like the task he was about to face, but it had to be done. He went back to the site where all the bodies lay...gathered them up, and then began to set a small fire..then, he lit one of the dresses of the girls, and watched the bodies beginning to go up in flames. Raven watched them until the bodies were pretty much destroyed beyond repair. Then he took what was left and buried them deep in the earth. "Do not worry for you daughter Cinda. I will guard her with my life. I will die for her if needs be. I can only pray that I have set your soul at peace." Raven said lowering his head for a moment, then walked away. This moment was all too familiar for him. For this was the second time...only now, instead of his mother, it was Cinda's. He went back to Cinda who laid shivering and crying. He knelt down beside her and took her into his arms. "I'm sorry Cinda," was all he could say. Drake and Blade both would pay dearly for all this suffering. Raven would see to that.
The gruesome tasks completed, Raven watched Cinda. She isolated herself from him and every other living thing. She was in mourning, and as long as she did not stray too far, he would not disturb her. He knew what she was going through. He too had lost his mother at the hands of Drake, and discovered her decayed body after her death. He knew...all to well, what the pain she endured. Then at last, she walked over to him and fell to her knees. He put his arms around her and held her tightly to him. "It's all right Cinda. I know...I know all too well the pain you endure. I lost my mother at the hands of that bastard Drake." Raven said. Cinda looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. "Oh love...it is all right. I'm here. I had no one to comfort me when I found my mother's body. You will not have to go through that as I did. I am here. I will do my best to comfort you Cinda."
Before Raven could say more he felt the sharp point of cold steel to the back of his neck. "Don't move ya bastard. I want everything you have...your horse, ya dog, ya woman..." said the voice of the intruder behind them. "I warn you sir...the young lady is in mourning and I am not in the best of moods. You would do well to move on and bother someone else." Raven growled. Then he felt the edge of the blade across his throat. "I don't bloody care if ya leg is falling off! Give me all you got...."
"Sir, I warn you....you do not want to make me angry." Raven growled, the vampire blood within him beginning to boil over. "Yah....you don't give me everything I want, I'll slit ya throat and then take ya girl friend here."
That was about all Raven could stand. He'd do his best to run off this ruffian without blood shed, but with his anger climbing, he made no promises. "Give me the goods! Including her...I want to see what those lovely apples feel like."
Cinda recoiled in disgust. "Oh yah me lovely...I'm gonna have fun with that cute little ass of yours..."
That did it. Raven quickly reached out his hand and grabbed the theif's wrist, effectively wrenching the knife away from his throat. The ruffian started squealing to be let go..then his eyes wided in horror when he saw what he was facing. Raven pushed the thug down and stood up. His eyes now glowing bright red and the fangs now glittered in the fire light. The thief tried to turn and run, but now the vampire rage within Raven had taken over. He had buried his own mother, now buried Cinda's mother, lost his foster parents, and the carnage today just pushed him over the brink. Before he could stop himself, he grabbed the intruder by the throat and threw him almost ten feet in the air. Then he stormed over to the fallen man and again grabbed him by the throat. Now the rage turned to hunger, blood hunger. He eyed the man's throat, felt the terror coursing through the veins of his victim's neck. He let out a hiss and sank his teeth into his victims neck. The man screamed and flailed but in vain. Raven held onto him like a wild animal strangling it's prey. He ripped into the man's throat, bringing back the memories of when he was just a child and had attacked the boy who tormented him and Gale. He felt the blood flowing into his mouth, relishing every drop in his rage. Then, he suddenly remembered the mirror, the image he saw...the demon he swore he could control. Now, he was giving into it, giving into the rage, the blood lust. He dropped the now bleeding corpse on the ground and stood back from it in disgust. "Rabbits and squirrles...my, how quickly one can grow tired of them..." said a familiar voice. There stood the very object of Raven's hatred...Drake! "So, at long last....I come face to face with the son I didn't know I had."
If Raven's glare had been any hotter, Drake would have turned to ashes. "You......you're the cause of all this misery." Raven growled trying to hold himself back. "Cause of it...I spared those poor little harlots the rest of their worthless lives." Drake said with a sneer. "Oh...like you spared my mother! Like you put her out of her misery by leaving her to rot!" Raven yelled. "Oh yes....you mother...she was indeed exquisite...oh, and one thing son...I thought you should know....she enjoyed...every...minute of it." Drake said showing his razor sharp canines. He could stand it no more. "BASTARD!" Raven screamed. Drake hissed and lounged at Raven. Drake drew out a knife and waved it at Raven. Raven rushed at Drake, but suddenly howled in pain he felt cold steel peirce his shoulder. "I'm afraid you must leave this world my son. I can't have you interfering with the plans your brother and I have. "Ahhhhh!" A voice screamed in the distance. From out of no where a figure came riding on a huge chestnut mare. He was swinging a sword and took a slash at Drake...wounding his shoulder. "Raven!"
"I'll be damned...I know that voice." Raven looked up to see Gale. "Gale!" He shouted. "Brother! Grab my hand and climb on!"
"Cinda, I'm not leaving without her!" Raven protested. "We'll go get her then!" Gale shouted as Raven got on the huge mare. They rode to where Cinda was huddled close to Demon Hunter and Darshon. "Cinda, climb aboard Demon Hunter! Darshon Up!"
Darshon hopped on Demon Hunter's back along with Cinda and Peck landed on Raven's shoulder. "Come on, let's leave this place before he recovers!" Gale yelled as they rode off at great speed.
The small band rhode back to where Brinna waited for her brother and Raven to show up. She paced back and fourth waiting impatiently for them to arrive. At last she heard the sounds of hoof beats approaching. She looked out the window and saw Gale and Raven, and someone else...Cinda. She watched them all dismount, all weary, and shaken up. "Gale!" Brinna called. "What happened? You look like you've seen the devil himself."
"We have seen him Brinna." Raven said. "At long last, the demon sire that made me has shown to me his face. Drake has seen, now he knows of my existance, and I know now the face of he who I despise more than the demons of hell."
"The one who killed your mother and made you what you are?" Brinna asked. "The very one." Raven answered. "We are all in danger now because he has seen me. He may very well come looking for us. We will rest here tonight, but come dawn, we must find another place. To stay here is far too dangerous. I and my brother Blade our connected...but through Drake's blood. He may be tracking me now as I speak. It's not safe for us to stay here other than tonight. And even then, one of us needs to be on guard."
"I agree." Gale replied. "I will stand guard for a few hours, then Raven, you can stand watch. We will alternate til dawn, then the four of us are leaving this place." He said. "Gale, what of your herds?"
"I shall set them free. I know they shall be safer in the wild than they will here. I shall save the best that I have, and the rest I set free."
"Agreed then. We will free them at dawn. No harm can come to them then. Cinda, you and Brinna should try to get some rest. We will have a lot of traveling to do tomorrow." Raven said.
"So, I've finally come face to face with my other son. You're right Blade, he is a sentimental, self-righteous fool! He tries to be mortal...and yet he attacked a theif trying to steal something from him. He is weak. I saw a girl with him as well."
Blade looked at Drake. "Perhaps she is his lover. If she is, she's a weakness we can exploit." Blade replied. "He has several weaknessess. The girl, and a man called Gale who saved him from me. Raven won't be turned to our side. So we'll just have to destroy him. He cannot be allowed to interfere with our plans. You will be the forebearer of our new race. As soon as I can find a mate suitable enough to produce a female offspring." Drake said. "Father that will take too long. There must be a female of my kind out there somewhere." Blade replied. "That would take eons, if such a woman even existed." Drake grumbled. "Let me tap into Raven's thoughts. Since he and I are connected by blood, I might be able to discover all his connection to the girl you spoke of. She may be of great use to us."
"Perhaps she might. See what you can learn from your brother." Drake said. Blade looked into a couldron full of bubbling liquid and began to concentrate. Soon, the image of Raven and Cinda came into focus. Blade saw Raven's memories through the liquid. He saw them talking, hearing crucial words. "He is in love with her as you suspected. And they've been intimate. They've made love once already. Father! Her mouth! How can that be? She isn't a full vampire....she..she is a half breed like I and Raven are...." Blade said. "A female half breed!" Drake exclaimed. "But, she is not a virgin. Raven has claimed her for himself." Blade said with disgust. "That may not matter. Perhaps if she has not yet concieved, she will be of use to us. She may be the key to our plans. Think of it son...the ultimate race of vampires starts with you,.....and her. She must be brought here before the next new moon. And only on that night can the ceromony take place. We must strike and strike fast if we are to claim her. And Raven must be out of the way. He will not turn to our kind, so he must die." Drake said with an evil laugh. "We strike tonight. The new moon will be upon us in days. The time to take her is now." Blade persisted. "Yes...tonight we strike."
"I just have this uneasy feeling tonight...Blade, and Drake. I can sense them. Be alert." Raven said. "All right." Gale replied. He stood watch until he felt a sudden heaviness come over him. "Gale? Gale...what's wrong?" Raven said seeing Gale becoming dizzy. "Raven...I...I can't stay....awake..." He muttered beginning to go down. "Gale! Don't! Stay awake, you have to stay awake! It's Drake! He's here!" Raven shouted. "Cinda, Cinda get up! Drake...he and my brother are here!"
"What! But..But how did they know?" Cinda gasped. "Blade or Drake must have tapped into my thoughts. Come on..Brinna, get up. We have to get out of here now! Gale, come on, wake up brother. We have to get out of here!"
The band quickly gathered together and began to head out of the hut when they found themselves surrounded. There at the forefront of the demon army stood Drake and Blade. "Hello brother...I told you we would meet again." Blade said with a sneer. "Look, it's me you want. Let them go, and you can have me." Raven said. "On the contrary my dear son. There is one here who we intend to take...but it's not you. The girl there, she is a half breed like you and Blade. She will be the beginning to the new race." Drake said as his fangs glittered in the light of the moon. "When Hell freezes over! You're not coming anywhere near her! She is with me!" Raven yelled. Drake smiled wickedly. "Take them." He said calmly. Raven growled and withdrew his sword, the very sword he'd claimed in the moutains of eternal night. Drake saw the design on the blade and suddenly recognized it. "That sword.....so, someone managed to procure it after all this time. Too bad you won't be getting the chance to use it." Blade sneered. "Come too close and I'll use it soon enough!" Raven barked. "Come now, my son..."
"Don't call me your son you monster! I may have inherited your blood, but I did not inherit your evil! I will send you back to hell where you and all your vermon belong!"
"Do you honestly think you can win? Look at yourself. You're surrounded by an army, and what have you, two women, and half sleeping horse shepard. You're outnumbered. Surrender and I'll see to it your end is quick."
"I rather my end be agonizing if I can take you with me!" Raven yelled. "Have it your way then...take them!" Drake barked. The legion of the undead rushed in on the small band. "Peck, does it say I can use this sword only on Drake?" Raven said in his mind to the bird. "Only to pierce him through the heart. He is a master. The others are slaves. They can be killed by taking their heads." Peck answered back in the same fashion. Raven raised the blade. "Cinda...DUCK!" Raven cried and swung the blade across the first vampire he saw. Drake hissed as he saw the head of his follower fly through the air. "You may kill me! But I swear I'll take as many of your army as I can with me! Cinda, Run! Run Now!" Raven shouted. But Cinda did not move. Her eyes were glassy as she stared into those of Drake. He was hypnotizing her. "Yes child...come to me...." He whispered. "Cinda! NO! Fight him!" Raven yelled as he beheaded yet another blood sucker. "Damn YOU!" He cried and claimed yet another head. But it was too late. Unable to resist Drake, Cinda moved towards him. Brinna tried to stop her but was herself caught by a male vampire. Gale finally roused from his trance rushed at the demon army but also was captured. Raven was outnumbered and though he fought, it was all in vain. Drake and Blade had their prize. "CINDA!" Raven screamed as he ran towards Drake. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain to the back of his head. Behind him stood Shedia. Drake's mistress had struck Raven on the back of the head with an extinguished torch. He fell to the ground and was immediately grabbed. Two strong males held him by his arms. Drake walked up to him. "You do have spirit. I don't want you killed...yet. I feel it only appropriate that you watch your brother and his new bride as they form what shall be the fore bearers of a new race. You see, there is no way to stop me. And this....your precious sword shall be properly disposed of after the ceromony to ensure that it never threatens my followers ever again."
"Go to hell you demon!" Raven snarled. "Not before you my dear son." Take him...and the others. They shall all be witness to the night that shall change this wretched world."
Part 33
Part 34
The house was quiet as the small band slept. Cinda slept in Raven's arms. Darshon stayed awake and kept watch while did Peck and Demon Hunter. Gale stayed awake on watch also while Brinna slept. Raven began to stir feeling an uneasy feeling about him. He opened his eyes and looked around. "Raven, what is it?"