The Scent Of Vampires (Book 1)

Chapter 19: The Wandering Warlock

Pixie stared out the window into the darkness. She wasn't one to be paranoid, but she couldn't help a sense of foreboding that settled over her. Somehow, someone found out about Amelie staying with them. The question was, who? She had a few theories but the fact remained, they were all in danger now.

Pixie listened to Leo and Amelie arguing in the next room. Arguing seemed to be all they did since Leo had found Amelie hiding in the well earlier. Amelie wanted to leave and Leo kept insisting that Amelie wouldn't last the night on her own.

"If I stay you are all putting yourselves in danger, more than you already have." Amelie insisted. "You can't really believe those vampires from earlier will be the last to come looking for me."

"What do they want with you?" Pixie heard Leo ask.

"I don't know! None of it makes sense." Amelie's voice rose a little in frustration.

"Are you saying you don't know how you ended up in the condition you were in? You were obviously not meant to be alive right now." Leo sighed and then added. "I get that you have been through a lot and your secrets are your secrets—"

"It's not that!" Amelie cut in before Leo could finish. "I... I was betrayed by someone in my coven... it's complicated. You see I was, I guess you could say adopted. Whoever turned me, left me wandering the streets—like some feral beast. It's all a blur I just remember I couldn't control my blood lust. And whoever turned me, left me to become consumed by the monster they turned me into. If Draedyn hadn't found me when he did, I can't imagine the horrors I would been responsible for."

Pixie made her way to the living room where Leo and Amelie's heated conversation was taking place. The things Amelie was speaking of were very concerning to Pixie. Especially about her memory loss and the events surrounding her becoming a vampire.

Amelie was sitting in the recliner with her elbows on her knees and holding her face in her hands. Obviously, the trauma Amelie had been through had taken it's toll.

Pixie knew it was thought very bad among vampires, neck biters at least, to turn someone and then not help them with their transition into a vampire. Mainly, because new vampires were driven purely by instinct and a need for blood. They had to learn how to control the demon inside and to use reason along with instinct—to not become just mindless killers.

Leo squatted down in front of Amelie, his wings momentarily blocking her from Pixie's view. "Did this...Draedyn betray you?" Leo asked hesitantly.

"No. It was another in Draedyn's coven. I always thought he was fine with me but I guess it was all an act. He kidnapped me then physically abused me for what seemed like days. He told me he didn't trust me and he was sure I had brainwashed Draedyn somehow. It's not true. I swear!" Amelie added hastily, looking up at Leo. "Then he left me for dead on moon howler land. I'm sure it was to make my death seem like moon howler's were responsible. "

"He must be the killing vamp that Zoe saw leave you in that alley." Leo guessed. Amelie nodded her head but said nothing more. "If he found out you didn't die, it's possible he has others looking for you, hoping to finish what he started." Leo said with a frown and stood up.

"That's probably true. I don't know who else was involved in my kidnapping or if there are others from my coven that were in on it. I don't know the two that came here earlier, but that doesn't mean anything." Amelie speculated. Pixie thought she seemed just as confused as the rest of them.

"And you have no memories of before? Do you have any idea how long ago you were turned?" Pixie asked, saying something for the first time since she'd come in the room.

Amelie looked at Pixie for a moment, contemplating her question. "No memories. Sometimes I have bad dreams, or a flash of images, but I can't seem to make sense of them. To answer your other question, Draedyn believes I was turned not long before he found me and that was about fifteen years ago."