Shadowy Stillness

By Clair McIntyre

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction...
The only thing that Meri Halsin wants to be is normal. Something that is hard to do when the family business is to keep track of things that go bump in the night. Worse yet, an ancient family curse called the Halsin Legacy, has marked her to be the next victim. The only way Meri can escape the curse is to find the one warrior able to defeat the madman behind the curse.
Sometimes the nightmares never go away...
Will Moregan is often haunted by what he considers his biggest failure in life. Swearing to never let the same thing happen again, he has dedicated his immortal Vampyric life to protecting the world from the true evil out there. When a strange turn of events leads him to find out about Meri Halsin and her predicament, he swears to defend her no matter what; even if that means facing his failure head on.
Hope is often the only thing left...
As the curse unravels, both Meri and Will are challenged with the madness of an ancient evil at work. An evil that has been festering for thousands of years, and with legions of minions who are hell bent on destroying them.
With few to trust, Meri and Will must race against time to find their only true salvation, so they can defeat the evil before it can plunge the world in darkness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clair McIntyre
• Release date: Oct 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311224934

Clair McIntyre

I live in Courtice, ON, a place google can't find on the map. I spend most of my time driving those nearest and dearest, absolutely crazy, and procrastinating on numerous schemes. I also like to learn so I can often be found playing video games, reading random pages on wikipedia and watching documentaries.On a more serious note, I'm really an open book. I like to seeing the lighter side in life, and though sometimes what I write might be on the darker side, I like to think that even at the darkest point in one's lives, there's always hope.

Book preview

Book Two

By Clair McIntyre

Copy Right

Shadowy Stillness

by Clair Mcintyre

Copyright 2014 Clair Mcintyre

Cover Art Garth Miller

Smashwords Edition

ISBN-13:

Dedication

First and foremost to Philippe Duguay and Jason Shannon, without your hard work in the mammoth task of editing none of this could have happened. To Garth Miller, who created the coolest cover art in the world . To my mum and dad, who supported me and finally to my readers for without you book two might not have happened.

Prologue

Dear Halsin Patriarch,

Salutations, but I fear that I bring you dire news about something which started eons before.

Long ago, before the chaos of the world had settled, people knew of a group of warriors who would stand to defend all when the time came; warriors united under one name: The Draggenin. Classed with the power of the elements, these people stood against the greatest evil ever known and banished it to a forgotten realm.

Though not all stories have happy endings, like this tale in particular. When the evil disappeared, the Draggenin started to as well. Something secretly plagued them and we don’t know the full details but we believe that it was a great internal strife that tore them asunder.

Knowing that their time on this world was ending, and needing to keep this realm defended, the remaining Draggenin gathered what powers they still had and instilled it into a select six, whom were called 'Cores' to carry on their legacy.

One by one, those who carried the strongest elemental traits were given their roles . The Core of Fire, held compassion and love; the Core of Ice, held courage and pride; the Core of Earth, held wisdom and stealth; the Core of Wind, held speed and light; the Core of Life, held the power of healing and renewal; the Core of Death, held the power of destruction and change.

Sadly, eventually even all the Cores disappeared, and the future generations of immortals were left fighting each other for the lion share of the power they held. To make matters worse, the evil banished to the forgotten realm found a way to influence our world again.

The evil sought to drive a wedge between two regal brothers and created a war in one of the great isle kingdoms called Kilderheeth. It was during this very war that the blood curse that was inflicted on the Vampyrs, also created our greatest enemy, the Fallin.

We, Vampyrs, are born of true immortality. We can survive day or night with little fear, and our blood curse did not affect our lives heavily. We took up role as mankind’s protectors.

The Fallin are born of an impure mix of mortality and death, became the night vampires that everyone knows. For the sun could destroy them and their blood curse wore away at them daily because it was their source to prolong their unnatural lives. So far detached from humanity, the Fallin sought to destroy humans for their own selfish purposes.

With that, the war between good and evil began anew. Though, there was another enemy who waited in the wings for us: the Dreads.

The Dreads are best described as zombie-like vampires, who were first thought to be the byproducts of the Fallin and the dead. We most recently have discovered that they are, in fact, the foot soldiers of the ancient evil banished to the forgotten realm, that was given a new name by the Fae. They call it the Shadow Thief or Scath Gadai in Gaelic.

The discovery of the Shadow Thief’s influence was made by my husband, King Phoenix Galadin after a lackey of the Shadow Thief, named Ariahni, tried to destroy the Vampyrs.

I destroyed Ariahni and now the Vampyrs have had a brief respite from our enemies though for how long is still uncertain. Especially since we believe that the Dreads are plotting a major attack.

All of our hopes now rely on your family, Lord Halsin. For it came to our attention during the Fae War that was led by your grandson King Aidan and Lady Niaria, his soon to be wife, that there is the possibility that the Draggenin Cores might be alive after all.

We believe that your youngest granddaughter Meridia can lead us to them. Alas, we have also learned that she has been marked for death by one of the Draculus brothers called Septimus.

All is not lost though Lord Halsin, for we believe that young Meridia’s only hope will be in the ability to find Felix, the other Draculus brother who is said to be the only one who can defeat Septimus. Though in saying that, Felix has been missing for over a millennia and we fear the worst.

We wish to inform you that his last known whereabouts was London, England; and we believe that the city still holds the answer to whether or not he is still alive.

Good luck to young Meridia Halsin!

Sincerely yours,

Queen Iona Maeve Moregan Galadin

Raven of Death, Lady of the Mist, Queen of the Vampyr under the House of Moregan

Ian Halsin let the letter fall from his hands as he sighed.

So many had died, and now it was Meri would be the next victim, he thought as a single tear slipped down his cheek.

Meri was the youngest child of his youngest son. Feisty, compassionate, stubborn and once upon a time fearless, until… he dare not think of it.

Ian thought of all the people that had died at the hand of the madman Septimus and he stopped.

Could it be? He had counted thirty-eight in total. Was it possible that Meri was the last one cursed? Was she truly thirty-ninth person to be marked? ‘Thrice times thirteen,’ the prophecy had stated. Though it had also said that the last one cursed was to be ‘a year before two dozen.’ At twenty-three, not twenty-four, it would seem Meridia was the ideal candidate.

Ian jumped up from behind his desk, ran over to one of the bookcases and pulled out an old family codex. He traced the name of those who had perished and realized it was true. Meri was the thirty-ninth person to be marked for death in the Halsin family.

It pained him terribly that she would have to face a madman born from an old fool’s folly. Sighing again, Ian knew it was time to tell Meridia what she was truly facing.

*****

263 BCE – The Alps

Felix looked around in utter horror; as there was nothing but carnage surrounding him. His troops, and best friend Septimus, were all dead, and he had no idea how it had happened.

Felix had felt the guilt set in. Why hadn’t he listened to Septimus? Why hadn’t he believe this to be a fool’s errand when he had agreed to chase down the Praetor’s daughter Penelope Halsinus? Felix continued to curse himself roundly.

He couldn't believe that everyone was gone. At that thought, he knew that he had to do the right thing and dig graves to give his men as much of an honourable burial that he could give them in this wretched place.

It was lucky for Felix that he had secret powers to help him with that. It was something he had never told anyone, not even Septimus. Using his gifts, Felix dug out frozen graves for the fallen warriors at an untiring pace.

Placing each man into the ground, he whispered, Pluto see you to the Plains of Honour.

As he neared his best friend Septimus’s body, he noticed that something strange. His friend’s eyes had been closed all day and now they were wide open. It couldn’t be…could it? Could Septimus really be alive?

Septimus? Felix whispered hoping that it was true, and that it wasn't just a cruel joke.

Septimus blinked then narrowed his eyes on Felix.

So the traitor lives, Septimus snarled.

Traitor? What are you talking about Septimus? How is it that you are alive now? You lay dead just now, I am sure of it. You were not breathing and your throat was ripped to shreds, Felix told him trying to figure out how his formerly dead friend was alive and apparently completely healed.

Lies Felix, all lies. You tried to kill me, and you will die for it, traitor! Septimus snarled.

Moving quicker than Felix expected, he had slashed Felix’s own throat wide open.

Seeing the crimson flow of blood, Septimus felt an unnatural thirst. He leaned forward to drink the blood but at the last moment caught himself. Terrified at what he was becoming, Septimus fled, leaving Felix to die in the snow.

Felix felt nothing but shock at first, before the rage took over again. What had his friend become? Though Felix knew the answer, Septimus was one of those vampires that the mysterious woman named Raven had told him about. He had remembered her calling them the Fallin.

Felix’s breath became shallower and he knew he was dying but then a distant voice filled his head.

Felix Dracul, it is I, Raven. You will not die this night warrior, I will save you, she told him as a warm rich red liquid flowed into his open mouth.

It was blood, he knew it, as his mind had distantly made the connection but Felix was beyond caring. For with each swallow, he felt a change start to take over him. Felix knew that by the time he woke up next, he would be immortal, and Septimus would be his bitterest enemy.

Part One:

Depths of Madness

Chapter One: Deep into Dreaming

"Most people see elves and pixies in their dreams. I can’t say my dreams are the same. All I see is blood and gore, talk about depressing." - Meri Halsin, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Meri Halsin

Running... constant running… a chill of fear. A dark moonless night... fear gnawing... spreading. Someone is there, chasing me... a man as far as I can tell though I can’t make out his face. All I can feel is the fear and a compulsion to keep running.

I trip, falling to the ground and as I try to drag myself up I find that I can’t. It's too late, he has caught up to me. All I can see is his eyes, the moonlight glints off his irises and reflects a shade of blood red that sends shivers down my spine. A feeling of never ending cold sets in… replacing the fear. His eyes are hooded as he opens his mouth and shows me fangs, glistening in blood ... blood that can only be mine.

This is where the dream ends. I’ve never gotten past that part. I feel the fear, I see his eyes, and then it all ends. For over a year, I’ve had the same dream, and on the brink of losing my ever loving mind, I finally sought my grandfather out.

His name is Ian Halsin and he runs a supernatural agency called Paranormal Investigations. Though I do not truly believe in the supernatural, I thought maybe, just maybe, he could tell me something that would cure my nightmares. It sounds stupid I know; a realist seeking out a mystic for answers, but with a family history like ours, there just had to be an answer to this.

That and I just wanted my nice quiet life back. I missed my respectable yet boring university life that I lived, prior to the nightmares.

When I sought my grandfather’s advice, I was not prepared for his words. He told me, in all seriousness, that I had been marked for death by an ancient madman whom the fictional Dracula was based on, in part.

At first, I burst out laughing at his words. But… then it sank in and then I realized that it all made sense. I mean, the dream felt so real and to make matters worse, just after our first conversation regarding the dream, my oldest brother Aidan was kidnapped.

I started to become a little paranoid. Well… okay, I was more than a little paranoid; in fact it drove me into becoming hell bent to find an answer to the nightmares by researching the Halsin Legacy.

The Halsin Legacy is a sordid tale that you would probably expect to hear from a family as old as ours. Though this is no ordinary tale, in fact it is a curse that is not to be taken lightly.

The Halsin Legacy began during the Roman Age, a noble praetor named Lucianus Halsinus was sent to govern over the Aquitania Territory (present day France) with his family. On the journey north, a group of marauding Visigoths attacked the convoy stealing the Patriarch’s only daughter, Penelope.

Lucianus sought out the fiercest Roman soldiers to rescue his daughter. At that time, the fiercest warriors in the entire Roman Empire were a pair of sworn blood brothers called the Dracul brothers. They accepted the mission, and shortly after they started their hunt for Penelope, something terrible happened.

The bodies of the legionnaires, who were under the command of the Dracul brothers, were found in half dug graves. Neither of the two Dracul brothers' bodies were ever found.

Penelope was later discovered by another group of legionnaires, a day or so after the bodies were uncovered. She was ranting about the Dracul brothers battling each other for eternity. Everyone thought that she was spouting nonsense, but then three days later, Penelope was found dead. Her death was graphically described by the journals. Her jugular had been completely ripped out and there were marks on her throat that no animal that the legionnaires had ever encountered, could have made.

Lucianus began his research on the paranormal that day and he founded the first Paranormal Investigations to find the cause of his beloved daughter's dead.

Since the death of Penelope, there have been other Halsin family has also suffered the same tragic fate. Rumour had it, that each death was the work of one of the Dracul brothers, but there were no specific clues on how exactly the person chosen to die was able to save themselves. I looked everywhere for answers, and after months of research, I believed that the great family curse was a hoax.

Well… I was wrong, the curse was definitely real.

During the reception of my brother Aidan’s wedding, an assassin attacked me. Unluckily for the assassin, he tried to kill me in the middle of a ballroom full of battle hardened Fae warriors. Before I had a chance to react, the man was dead. I realized then that the assassin was only a message being sent to me from the madman seeking to kill me. Apparently the window to finding my salvation was closing soon.

I had fled from my brother’s wedding immediately, and headed to the place that I knew to be my safe haven during times of great despair. It was also the one place I knew where I could find a lead on where to begin my journey; home.

*****

Will Moregan

It seemed to be a typical Fae wedding reception: dancing, feasting, murder. I was most definitely not surprised at the last one considering the Fae were all a little homicidal, but then who was I to complain? I am a Vampyr after all and we were just as bad as the Fae.

I downed my champagne and watched the red haired woman, who was the apparent target, flee. There was something about her that struck me. It was almost like she was familiar, but I knew for a fact that I hadn't met her before.

After the woman fled the room, the murmurs continued, but then the Fae did what the Fae do best. They shrugged their shoulders and continued on like nothing had happened. C’est la vie, as far as they were concerned.

I shook my head in bemusement at the thought.

What’s so funny Will? My sister Raven asked, drawing me from my musings.

Nothing, Raven, I find the Fae as a whole, unique to say the least.

That they are, but as much as I hate to point this out and tarnish your good mood, but do you not notice that something is amiss?

What would I be looking for? I asked as I eyed another champagne flute floating around the room and snagged it.

The crest on the assassin’s shirt, perhaps?

Treyber’s shirt? It’s the Andraste crest, hardly something odd, I replied, thinking about the man who killed the attacker as I downed half of the glass.

Raven retorted, No, I mean the other assassin.

I shook my head.

Will Moregan, what am I going to do with you?

Let me continue in my roguish ways, maybe?

Ha! We have one rogue in the family and it’s most definitely not you. You are the brooding one of the family.

Brooding? Hardly, sister mine, I retorted.

You most definitely are. Look at it this way, Wulf is the homicidal one, I am the ice queen, you are the brooding one and Conalai is the rogue.

You are no ice queen, possessing nerves of steel on the other hand, I can agree with that. Then again with three brothers like us and a husband like yours, I’m really not surprised by that.

A husband like what, Will Moregan? Phoenix demanded as he appeared beside his wife.

Where to start? You’re crazy, homicidal, and to top it all off you tend to take ridiculous bets without thinking first, I told him.

Meh, I could be worse, he answered.

I can’t see how, I responded nonchalantly, earning a glare from Phoenix.

I don't see how you can judge his behaviour when you're the one women always want to comfort and take pity on because of you're never ending brooding manner, Raven stated.

Phoenix snorted with laughter.

I rolled my eyes and responded, Huh… and here I always thought that my pickup lines worked.

Please, those would never work in a thousand years. Though, let us not spend all night recounting all your faults and virtues. Getting back to the original topic at hand, you missed something of great importance, brother, Raven hinted.

... And that would be? I asked prompting her to continue.

The crest on the dead assassin, do you not recognize it? Raven asked as she showed me the crest on the dead assassin’s chest through her mind.

The blood in my veins froze.

I recovered quickly and stated quietly, That’s not possible.

Why ever not? Raven inquired.

I finished that fight years ago, in Romania if memory serves.

Did you let him live? Raven asked bluntly.

I looked at her and I responded with, I left him dying.

Dying is not the same as dead, Phoenix stated wisely, as if he was an expert on the matter.

We fought, I won, end of story, I told them.

Yet he lives, and continues to plague the Halsin family as far as I have heard.

Find him for me and I will end it permanently, I retorted, angered beyond belief at the situation.

I cannot find him, and you know that; unfortunately some primordial force blocks anyone from knowing his exact location, it is probably the same force that brings him back from the dead each and every time. There must be something that we’re missing and I believe that answer can be found by Meridia Halsin. Until such time as the answer is found, she will not be safe, Raven told me.

Meridia Halsin? Who is she?

The red headed woman I caught you spying on earlier. She's his next target.

I was not spying, everyone watched her leave.

You cannot fool me, Will Moregan. I have spotted you trying to catch glimpses of her all night, with those brooding eyes of yours. Trust me, little brother, I am always right, Raven stated.

Annoyingly so, Phoenix confirmed.

She elbowed him in the midriff.

Save me from my nosey elder sister, I responded rolling my eyes.

Brat, Raven retorted as she elbowed me as well.

So let me get this straight, you want me to shadow Meridia and make sure she is safe, fine it's done. Now where is that beautiful little niece of mine? I wish to say goodbye to her before I leave.

She is with Polyxena, over by the waterfall, Raven responded.

I kissed my sister on the cheek and hugged her, then I shook Phoenix’s hand and left.

I strode out of the hall and headed towards Polyxena.

Leaving? Polyxena inquired.

Yes and I just wanted to say goodbye to the little one.

Polyxena nodded as she handed me little Aislyn.

There’s my gorgeous niece. Be a good girl for mommy and daddy, and don’t fuss with Uncle Wulf, he might have a heart attack, little one. Love you, Aislyn, I will see you soon. I told the baby as I kissed her brow.

Aislyn gurgled with happiness as I handed her back to Polyxena.

Will?

Yeah, Ollie?

Take care of yourself, she responded quietly.

I always do, I answered as I teleported from the Vanishing Isles.

I knew that whatever happened I could not fail again, because if I did, Meridia Halsin would pay the ultimate price, and that was not an option.

*****

Meri Halsin

I rested my head against my knees and closed my eyes. I jumped when the door creaked open.

Don't worry my dear Meri, it is only me, your grandfather.

The assassin was only a warning, wasn’t he? I asked in a whisper.

Yes Meri, and long pause he asked, You have completely researched the curse, right?

I have, but I don’t understand why it all began, I huffed out.

The curse started with two sworn blood brothers… Grandfather started.

... But it is vague when it comes to the reason they didn't return and they weren't named at all.

"That is partially right Meri, sure neither warrior returned. Though I can tell you their names; the legend of the Dracul brothers’ states that Septimus Dracul was the glory hound and Felix Dracul was the true warrior. Both were fierce in battle, and neither could best the other in friendly matches of swords and fist fights, though some say that Felix could have bested Septimus if only he had the will to do it.

I have also heard rumours that say that, through a blood pact with a demon Septimus became Dracula, but what of Felix? No one knows for sure as to what happened to him. The only clue remaining about him is in a journal written by Felix himself that a colleague of mine says exists. Seek out the journal, my dear, and you’ll have your answers."

Where do I start Grandfather, where is this journal?

In London, England, my dear Meri. An old friend of mine named John Williams, who is the ordained minister running St. Pascal’s Church, has some information about the location of the journal. You need to seek him out first.

Is the flight arranged? I asked him.

Yes it is, as well as your bags. All you need to do is to get changed my dear.

Thank you Grandfather, I told him as I got up, hugged him and left.

Ten minutes later, I started the engine of my car and took off down the driveway.

What happened that night was a huge wake up call and I became more determined than ever to do everything in my power not to meet Septimus Dracul in the flesh.

*****

Will Moregan

I entered the room, after the woman named Meridia had left, and spotted her grandfather.

Where has she gone? I asked as I sat down in a chair across from him.

She’s looking for the journal of the missing Dracul brother named Felix, Ian Halsin replied.

Felix is dead, I said at once.

No, he is very much alive, I think.

I highly doubt that, besides the past is best left in the past, I retorted

… And all sins forgotten? Or at least, that is what the Vampyr say, am I right?

Some sins can never be forgotten, I said quietly.

Indeed they can’t, but those sins can be healed.

That is ridiculous to say the least, but right now the most important thing is to keep your granddaughter alive is it not? Preferably unaware of the real war going on, I'm also assuming.

So it has begun anew has it? Ian Halsin asked raising his eyebrows.

It began with that assassin and the message was received. I know the gauntlet has been dropped and I will win this.

So what will you do then to win? The old man asked.

What I do best, end it… permanently.

Did you not seek to do that the last time? He asked mildly.

What I sought the last time was the best laid plans to bring this whole debacle to a conclusion if nothing else.

One that failed, obviously.

I clenched my fists, Yeah it failed, what of it?

It cannot fail this time. More is at stake than just my granddaughter’s life though in saying this, you must save her by any means necessary.

Any means, Elder? I inquired.

Looking me directly in the eyes, he replied, Yes, Will Moregan, by any and every means. If you must venture into hell, then do so.

I thought you said that there was more at stake than her life.

There is, but Meri is important and she must be saved. I cannot nor will not accept, otherwise.

You have my word, I told him as I got up to leave.

Will? Ian Halsin asked.

Yeah? I stopped.

She is heading to London, England.

Oh I know that, for it seems all roads will eventually lead to London. Though, you do realize that you’ve sent her into a pit of snakes. Vipers that would slice your throat without so much as a by your leave.

It will keep you on your toes, Ian Halsin replied.

Yeah, that it will, I sighed as I walked out and disappeared into the night.

Chapter Two: Trouble with Snakes

"London is known for a lot of things, but I’m assuming that man eating snake hybrids aren't one of them, right?" - Meri Halsin, London, England.

Meri Halsin

Arriving in London at about six in the evening, I took stock in everything that I was about to embark on. I mean, is there any serious way to prepare oneself for the possibility of being killed by a madman? Not to mention, it boggled my mind to think the paranormal really existed, but then again after finding out my brother Aidan was the King of the Fae, doubting that the paranormal existed didn’t make sense anymore. Though in saying that, knowing the paranormal existed and knowing that a demented vampire serial killer was out to kill me were two different things. One I could accept well enough; the other… well not so much.

Shaking off my grim thoughts, I made my way through Heathrow Airport, and found a taxi cab that took me to the hotel I was staying at.

My grandfather had booked me into a hotel called the Strathaven, and it seemed like a really nice place. It was one of those turn of the century hotels that I favoured.

It was an interesting place to begin to a less than enthusiastic journey, on my part. Lugging my suitcases into the suite, I let go of them immediately and sat down on the bed sighing.

At nine in the evening, I was to meet Reverend John Williams at St. Pascal’s Church. It was definitely going to be a long boring evening, but I was looking forward to deciphering ancient texts because I was a scholar at heart like my siblings and it seemed like a fairly easy night, or so I thought. Though things rarely ever go according to plan with me.

Later…

I entered the church with five minutes to spare and walked down the aisle to sit in the front pew. I took in the majestic stained glass windows, but couldn't help but shiver at the images of the martyrs.

I did not want to be like them, dying for a cause that was not of my own choice because of a cruel twist of fate that I could not circumvent.

It didn’t seem fair. I hadn't spent a day within the walls of Paranormal Investigations since I was thirteen years old, and yet I was chosen to die by the Halsin Legacy? There had to be something good to come from all of this. I refused to believe that I was simply doomed because it meant that I was giving up without a fight.

Sighing, I rested my head on the front railing and listened to the rain pelt the stained glass windows as I sought peace. Though peace eluded me because I realized something wasn't right. I could hear a muffled noise that was coming from the direction of the minister's office that peaked my curiousity. Standing up, I headed towards it, to see what was going on.

*****

Will Moregan

I sighed as I watched Meridia Halsin enter St. Pascal’s Church, which was a regular place for the damned to seek salvation. Reverend John Williams preached to the immortals after having been ordained as a minister in 1843, by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The pious minister was a Vampyr like me, though you’d never know it from looking at him. After all, we immortals were quite good at blending in.

He was younger than I and was rumoured to be a monk prior to becoming immortal. He believed that humanity was the key to our survival and had begun preaching that message from the very beginning, or so my sister Raven told me. I had only met him once before in Italy during the 1500s. He was a nice enough fellow but most definitely a puritan.

Not that, that was a bad thing but this really wasn't the place to be zealously good. Mainly because Lud’s Gate, or London as most know it today, had a dark twisted side that only really old cities had.

Yes I know what you're thinking, all cities have a dark underbelly, however there was more to it than just that. For cities that survived for thousands of years often had a high immortal population. London is a prime example of that, because for every mortal there are six immortals and immortal villains tend to be much more sinister in their approach to evil deeds than mortals.

The worst type of villain to populate London in the last four hundred years, were the Viperosi. They are a half-man, half-snake hybrid species that is all attitude. Most of those petty street gangs you hear about in the news were normally these fellows.

I say fellows not to offend women, but as the Viperosi go, a nest of Viperosi will have one female to a hundred males. When another female snake is born, she is protected by the males until she comes of age. Then she and the other female snake fight to the death for reign over the males. Think of it like a bee hive only with more fighting.

Lately, I have heard that the Viperosi made a deal with the Fallin, to become unofficial foot soldiers for them in the war against us. Neither the Fallin nor the Viperosi have been very successful in the efforts to thin the Vampyr ranks.

On that note, it isn't the first time that the Fallin have been seeking our demise by using other villains. Though with Raven and Phoenix as our leaders, each threat has been systematically eliminated over the years. Mainly by my brother Wulf or another one of the royal family. Raven and Phoenix are now at the point where they are considered to be the most feared leaders in all the immortal realms. Just as Wulf is one of the most feared assassins.

Getting back to London, there is no place in the world that I would rather live in. For a jaded immortal like me, it's heaven, because of the inherent dangers of the city living. After all it keep the days interesting. Though to an innocent American woman who knows nothing of London’s true face, it could only be classified as hell, hence my current appointed role in protecting Meridia Halsin.

I followed her into St. Pascal’s silently, ducking into a shadowy alcove so as to not draw attention to myself. I watched as her interest was soon piqued and she got up to investigate a disturbance. I shook my head in disbelief as I realized that Meridia Halsin didn't know the meaning of exercising caution, especially when someone at large was trying to kill her. I also knew that this was going to be a long night and the only good thing about it was that it wouldn't be boring.

*****

Meri Halsin

What was that noise? I thought as I walked over to a door on the right side and wandered down a short hall. I stood in front of the only door that was ajar, unsure of what I should do, my curiosity got the better of me and I peeked inside.

An older man in his late 30s lay on the floor as a gang beat him and I realized that it had to be the minister I was here to meet.

Give it up Geezer, the Guvernor wants the journal, a man stated. He appeared to be the leader but I couldn't see his face, his back was to me.

I do not know what journal you speak of, the minister croaked.

Alan, teach him a lesson, the leader directed.

I watched a dark haired man kick the prone form of the minister. I watched him spit up blood and I covered my mouth in horror.

The gang took turns beating up the minister. I had to