“Dark Burn”

by Pagaan


Caribbean, 1703

Roman Treganescu shifted to mist, as he sped through the dark windy night across the island, attempting to pickup his brother Vagner's, trail. He'd been chasing his brother for a decade, in and around the Islands. So far his older brother had eluded him, having always been able to block his presence from his younger brother, Roman, and successfully shielding himself even after becoming the vampire.

It had been a cat and mouse game with Roman tracking his brother every evening until dawn. Tracing him through his kills, scanning for any blank spots which would indicate a vampires resting place. He could never locate Vagner, always one step behind, and knowing Vagner's whereabouts only after a kill was made. Roman was tired and knew as soon as he brought the Prince's justice to his brother, he too, would have to end his life, to greet the dawn.

His entire family except his brother had all died in the Turkish invasion, so many years ago, leaving him and his brother as the only legacy of a long and auspicious line of the Carpathian race. It happened so quickly, his brother's turning, he was unprepared and unaware as his brother lost his battle with the beast.

They had been tracking a master vampire that was terrorizing the Island people. Vagner succumbed after winning the long battle with the master vampire. Having waited too long before feeding, he let loose the beast, releasing his prey from the enthrallment that kept her calm and unknowing and watched as she struggled with terror-filled eyes as he drained the very life from her. Vagner was 900 years old.

Roman and Vagner fed from two you native women after the battle. When Roman finished feeding, he noticed his brother was no longer with him. Roman tried contacting his brother through their blood link and only encountered darkness. Roman knew then his brother had turned. He heard the screeching laughter as the block to this brother's mind dropped and the filth and evil that was once his most trusted companion poured forth.

Roman, so engrossed in the memory of that night, he  almost missed the flash of light directly below him. Although the scream of outrage and anger he immediately recognized as his brothers' would have caught his attention. Something was thwarting Vagner's attempt to kill and Roman knew this was his chance to catch his brother unaware.

Roman blocked his presence from his brother as he streaked toward the flashing light. As he dove downward he quickly picked up the voice of a woman and increased his speed. His brother's only prey were  women. In his insanity, he raged at all women for the loss of his honor. In his twisted mind, he blamed his dishonor on his lifemate and all women, instead of blaming himself for not having the courage to wait for her or greet the dawn as was honorable.

As he crested the top of the mango trees, he saw a small glade carved right out of the wood. It looked like the usual island homestead, but much older and in a very remote part of Calilli Island. As he approached to attack his brother from behind, he could hear his brother screaming obscenities and struggling against the light that seemed to bind him. Then he heard a voice in his head.

Do not come closer, young man, I have control of your brother. He is an evil creature and I will send him to the next world. Do not try to interfere, I know you, I feel the goodness in your heart even with the beast that lingers there. He has become a nuisance and now he dares to come to my island? Indeed, my very home to challenge me. He will find he has made a foolish mistake.

At that, Roman materialized in front of his brother but to the right of the light that seemed to hold his brother as if he were no more than a babe in arms. Roman turned and looked at the diminutive woman. Even without the ability to see color, he could practically see the power that was rippling from her, it centered from within her but flowed outward to surround his brother. And, although he continued to struggle and say the most vile things, Vagner couldn't move.

Who are you? How can you hold my brother in this state. You must let him go, it is my duty to bring justice to him. He has broken our most sacred of laws, and I must be the one to destroy him. Roman said, searching and locating the path she’d used to communicate with him, his honor and his very essence was screaming at him to protect the obviously powerful woman from his brother.

I see your people are still as arrogant as always. I feel badly for the one who is coming. But it might be good for you, she will teach you a much needed lesson. Now, you must let me do my job, and rid my lands of the despoiler. He is an abomination and cannot continue. You will be still.

With that Roman watched his brother, his long-time companion and only living relative, go up in flames as the light grew brighter, then suddenly flash and wink out. Nothing was left of Vagner but ash as it blew across the small glade out toward the ocean. Roman wished he could feel something, even regret for his brother but he could not, and this worried him more than ever, it brought him closer to the realization of how thin the edge is he is walking.

The woman turned and started walking toward her cabin, and she said, Don't worry, it was painless and the one who is for him is waiting. He will have another chance, in another time. Come with me, we have much to discuss.

***********************************

As Roman stepped through the door of her sizeable cabin, he looked around the small living and cooking area. He noticed the fireplace pit with a big black pot hanging over the roaring fire. Although the cabin was made out of timber, the fireplace was made of what looked to be mud bricks. Inside the pit the fire blazed and warmed and brightened the inside of the cabin. By the window sat a large white owl who seemed to have intelligence behind his eyes, watching him, blinking large golden eyes in his direction.

I am Mazul, and your kin interrupted the dinner I was preparing, turning and looking at Roman as she said it. I'd invite you but I know it is not what you feed upon, she said turning back to stir the pot.

She walked over to a cabinet and pulled vials of what appeared to be dried herbs. He watched as she brought down vial after vial adding a little from each into a wooden cup. Then watched as she poured clear water into the cup.

Roman probed gently, scanning the strange woman's mind but only encountering blocks. Uh, uh, stay out my head. If I let you, it would bring more upon you than you could bear. Sit, sit, I will get you some refreshment. I know you are tired and weary and wish to end it, but I need you to continue or the one that is coming will have a very hard time living in this world without you. It would be unbearable. I know this, for I too was destined for one of your kind but he is gone from this world. I foresaw it long ago. I will join him once my duties here are complete. I tire of this life as you do but your destiny lies here while mine awaits in the next.

I apologize for my rudeness, I am Roman Treganescu, far from home but it is not far from my mind. Tell me, madame, how is it you know so much about my people? Knowing that ordinarily anyone outside of the Carpathian community who knew about them would have to be sacrificed. He would do it, but only if necessary, for the future of his people depended on secrecy and stealth.

Ha! she cackled a laugh, you mean, how do I know so much and are still alive to tell you, hmmm? I am a very old woman although I know I don't look it. Far older than even some of your people. Your Ancients, I believe you call them. Here drink this, it will make you feel better and if your lucky you will get a trace of the one who is coming.

Roman looked at the wooden cup and sniffed, unsure of it contents, and although he couldn't scan Mazul, she had information concerning his lifemate who would be one of her own line. He latched on to that hope as a dying man clings to life.

What do you mean? he asked, curious but somehow unaffected by this being who seemed to hold more power than was wise.

Your even worse than that young chip, Gregori. How is he these days? He used to come to my mountains to study the old ways. Long, is his wait for the one who is his. He will endure much, as will all your people. But you have a light and she is coming.

Are you going to drink that or just stand there sniffing it? she asked amused. As Roman started to take a sip, she stopped him.

Just one second, your kind of big and I have expended a great deal of energy removing the unclean one from this world. Sit down first, just in case the majik is strong with you. I would hate for you to faint and break your neck. That would not be good for any of us, she said laughing at the Carpathian's stoic face.

Faint, indeed, Roman thought to himself and quickly swallowed the herbal drink and sank into the old rocker behind him. Just as he sat down, a bright blinding light flashed through his mind and he was unable to move. Kaleidoscopes of bright lights seemed to flash erratically before his eyes before slowly dimming. Although it didn't hurt, his inability to move was cause for concern. Then, just as quickly as the thought entered his mind, a bright light flashed again and slowly dimmed but as it slowly dimmed a face could be made out.

"She will be waiting for you here. Sleep for 200 cycles of the Earth and return to this island. I have need of her before you can come claim her. Be strong, for she will be a worthy mate." Mazul said as her voice slowly faded.

It had been like this for over a 200 years. Demons came to her looking for salvation and in a way she gave it to them. By quickly incinerating them from the inside out, Celestine tried to make their passing as quick as possible. Unlike her Grandmere, who taunted the evil ones even when she knew they could wield no power greater than her own.

Celestine, entered the clearing of the Stone of Light, bit into her delicious apple and waited for them. She knew exactly where they were, thinking to sneak up on her and claim her as their own. As she chomped away, she could smell their terrible stench long before they entered her wood. And, as soon as they did, every animal and plant in the wood sent her a call of warning. For every animal in the wood knew they were protected by the Keeper and no harm could come to her or them. And even if she was new at the job, she ensured that all were happy and healthy just like the old one did for a very long time, or so it was discussed amongst the Elders of the fauna and flora.

Celestine sat cross-legged on the Stone of Light, an altar of flat, round stone on a pedestal about 3 feet high and six feet round. The natural formation of the stone made it look like a large table top over a very small pedestal. How it remained standing and for so long looked scientifically impossible. The weight alone of the topstone should have toppled over the pedestal centuries ago. But the Stone of Light was shear magic, and Celestine it's Keeper and Protector, performing the same tasks as her mother's  Great mother before her.

Ten centuries ago, the Old One saved the life of a young wizard and put herself at great risk at a time when wizards were gods to humans and the humans feared them greatly. Having saved the child when no one else would, she was marked by her people as a witch, and a witch she and her line would become. She was granted a gift for her selflessness and in doing so, she also condemned her line to become the Keepers of this enormous power. She was also granted long life and for those chosen of her line.

Mazul, grateful her time as Keeper was almost over, used her magik to find the one in her line who would become the next. Having looked through her entire line of descendants, she found her, Celestine DuCharme in the city of New Orleans in the New World across the ocean. She passed her gift on to Celestine when her time as Keeper was near it's end. 

Celestine had come to her grandmother when Mazul called to her in a dream and told her her time was growing short and she had much to teach her. Having told her mother, a Sorceress of great power herself, of the dream the next morning, Celestine's mother knew it was time, and explained that she had been chosen from all of her other cousins to take her place as the Keeper. It was the greatest honor for one of her line to be called into Service.

Celestine spent many years with Mazul practicing the magik and performing tasks and learning valuable lessons about the life around her and her responsibilities to that life. Mazul also told her about the Hunter, who would one day come and change her and Celestine would have to choose another Keeper.

Celestine was brought back from the past when she realized that one of the vampires had veered off in another direction. And another of great power was pursuing the vampire, a Hunter. Knowing the damage that could be done to her wood if she allowed a fight to begin, she began singing to capture the vampires mind and lure him back in her direction. She scanned for the other who was hiding in the mountain above and she called him to her also.

Roman felt the power of the song while pursuing the fleeing vampire and was startled out of the mist form he'd created. Color and feeling seized through his body and he, an ancient Carpathian, plummeted to the ground. And as the song incapacitated the Hunter, it did much more to the vampire. Henri felt the pull of the Song and even his black heart couldn't resist the sirens call, and as he watched the hunter plummet to the ground, the vampire was pulled as if by strings to the clearing where the Stone of Light stood. Viggo also felt the pull and the newly turned vampire had no chance of ignoring the call. He too was flying toward the Stone of Light.