Emily's Protectors

Chapter 6: The history of Alistar and Luther ✔

They were somewhere in Middle Europe, the year was 1523. Alistar couldn't even remember in which country the little clan found themselves. All the villages looked the same and all the villagers screams sounded about the same.

Alistar was tired of all of the senseless killing and stood watching the carnage before him with a disgusted look on his beautiful face, his full lips pressed into a fine line. The smell of blood teasing his vampire side to give in to his hunger, to feed on the innocent people fighting for their lives before him. Irritated, he wiped the long dark hair from his face, determined not to give in, opening and closing his fists behind his back. The village before him reminded him of the village he grew up in.

For 150 years, he had witnessed the same scene, over and over again. In the beginning, as a young vampire, he found great enjoyment in slaughtering the villagers starting with the clan that killed his family, including his pregnant wife and young daughter, leaving him for dead. He immensely enjoyed the fear in their faces as he took their lives, not sparing one. 

As a young vampire, he laughed with the rest of his kind at the people who were crying and begging for their lives. But for the last couple of years, he could not find enjoyment in killing innocent villagers. The smell of blood didn't hold the same attraction as it had years before. And every vampire in their small group disgusted him, everyone but the one walking towards him. Maybe it was because Alistar made Luther and wanted to see the best in him. Were it not for the hope that Luther would change. He would have left years ago. 

The small group of vampires had been together for almost 50 years, loners who had to leave their original vampire clans for some reason. Alistar wasn't sure why, but vampires never seemed to stay alone for long, always searching for a group to join. Maybe subconsciously, they were missing their human families or having human connections. Some vampire clans were ancient and powerful and some, like this little group, were temporary and everyone in the group knew it. The strongest bond in the group was between Alistar and Luther.

Alistar looked at Luther coming towards him laughing, oblivious to the crying around them, stopping to joke with another vampire holding the limp body of a woman in his arms. Houses were burning. People were screaming and begging for their lives and the lives of their families. Wiping the blood from his mouth, Luther's eyes found and rested on Alistar. Even after 100 years of being a vampire, Luther still moved like a soldier. He might be 100 times faster than an average human but still a soldier.

"Come and join us, Alistar!" Luther called, laughing.

Pained, Alistar shook his head.

"Luther, we have been friends for a long time. How is it that you are not tired of this?" The two friends were as different as night and day. Alistar was almost a foot taller than Luther, with dark hair and dark brown eyes. Luther had short blond hair with light blue eyes. In his human life, Alistar was heir to his father's small lands and although he had a better life than most others in their village, his father was still strict and from a young age, Alistar had to learn to fight and hunt. Being groomed to be the next chief, his father believed that as a chief, he had to be better and stronger than anyone else and he made sure his son lived up to his expectations.

Luther was a soldier from his youth. He lied about his age to be accepted into the Roman army and not even when he was lying on the battlefield dying did he have any regrets about joining.

Luther stood next to Alistar, putting his arm around his shoulders. "Come on, not this again! For the last couple of years, it's been the same story. You only feed when necessary, and then you only feed on murderers and thieves. Come, there are still some young ones hiding in the houses. Let's feed...." Luther tried to convince his friend.

But before Luther could finish speaking, Alistar pushed him away with such force that Luther almost fell to the ground. Spinning around, Luther grouched, showing teeth ready to attack. Alistar stared coldly at Luther, daring him to make the first move, almost wishing Luther would attack that he could take his frustrations out on him. Luther almost lost control, drunk from the blood, but he did not dare attack his maker.

"What is your problem?" Luther shouted, "how can you feel sorry for these weak humans? Look at them. They are nothing more than cattle. The people here are starved, and death would be a blessing to them!" He could not understand Alistar's reluctance to feed.

"That is not for us to decide! How can you not feel sorry for them? You were human once, and you had a family.'

"That was almost 100 years ago..." Luther interrupted, turning his back on Alistar. Alistar walked to his friend, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"I am leaving. I am not asking you to come with me but don't stop me. One day when you are finished with this," indicating with his hand at the scene playing off around them, "and you feel like I feel come and find me."

Before Luther had the chance to turn around, Alistar was gone. Luther fell to his knees crying, cursing the humans for stealing his best friend and maker. Cursing Alistar for leaving, he got up and stormed the village with an extra vengeance, taking his frustration out on the remaining villagers. Alistar could still hear their screams for miles.

Alistar had to run faster than he had ever run to get away from the screams, knowing how merciless Luther could be. Leaving the only family, he had known for the last century behind.