The Vampire's Harvest

164

Pulling out the heavy statue in your pocket, you present the embracing figures before the drones and to your surprise, their bodies ease and their focus shifts to your offering.

"Huh," you mutter to yourself, "didn't think that would actually work?"

"Is that Wyst and Nayma Intwined by the famous vampire sculptor, Othello?" asks Ailisa with a raise of her brow. "That's a prized artifact of the Duke's."

"Really?" you ask as you wonder what might happen if the Duke learned of your theft. "How do you know it's..."

"One must research their target to ensure a successful hunt," she states with an air of authority. "He acquired it a few years ago."

You sway your arms around, watching how the drones attention follows the movements of the figures. "Seems they know the value of it as well."

"Vampires are creatures of culture and status," says Ailisa with a shrug. "To protect anything that could bring their masters wealth and prestige is probably ingrained into a drone's protocol."

"Is that so?" Unwilling to give yourself a moment to second guess your decision, you throw the statue in the air before grabbing hold of Ailisa's wrist. As you had hoped, the drones dive for the falling statue to prevent it from cracking against the floor. Uncertain how long the distraction will last, you don't stick around to see what they'll do from there. Instead you pull Ailisa past the drones before racing through the kitchen and out the back door. You run straight into an open field that buffers the hall from the thick woods surrounding the town.

You don't take a single moment to look back and see if the drones are in pursuit. Instead, you and Ailisa do all you can to sprint in your finery. You consider looking over to see how Ailisa is managing in her extravagant dress, but even to turn your head would slow you down. So you gaze over from the corner of your eye and catch sight of a blur that looks like Ailisa. That's all you really need to know.

It isn't until you break through the woods, climb up a hillside, and find a small clearing in the trees, that you both stop to rest. Winded and tired, you collapse to the ground before drinking in the view. From your vantage point, you can see the town in the distance as well as the fight that still rages in the streets. Neither of you speak as you watch the battle unfold. All you know is that dawn will come soon and both sides will have to quit the field as the sun will force both the vampires and the werewolves to retreat.

Neither of you, however, see who marches out alive. You both fall asleep and once you awaken amongst the dewy grass blades, you trudge back into town where the main street is littered with the ash of dead vampires and the corpses of humans that were once wolves beneath the moonlight.

"I see you escaped," says a voice you never expected to hear again.

"Gianette?" you ask with hesitation, uncertain how your sister might see you after what transpired the night before.

"I'm glad you weren't used as vampire fodder, a lot of those in the ball got sucked dry or turned, only for them to perish on the street." You look to find Gianette emerging from an alley with some people you don't recognize trailing behind her. It appears they're carrying their dead werewolves, up towards the forest. You also notice how the surviving townsfolk eye the werewolves with apprehension, including Ailisa.

"Don't worry, I know what you were trying to do last night," says Gianette with a smile that told you she didn't care what the townsfolk thought. "I appreciate that you still thought of me even if we chose different roads." She then sees that no more bodies remain for her lot to carry and she readies herself to leave. "I'll be around. I don't know when, but I know someday, we can walk down this road freely together." And with that she leaves.

It does take a few years for the townspeople to warm up to the notion that the future is theirs. The Duke perished in the battle and no new vamp stepped forward to claim the farm since the werewolves kept watch not far from town. Eventually those that still wanted the dream of immortality, including Ailisa, went to other farms in hopes of finding a vamp there.

As for you, you enjoy visiting your sister and discussing with her your future. It's still uncertain, but you have found comfort in knowing that it is wide open to possibilities.

***

Congratulations, you found the successful ending for this branch of the story! Why not go back and see what the drones will do if you can't distract them...