The Broken Bonds

Chapter 22

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CHAPTER 22

Somewhere near the Vampire Council...

The man with the cane took his seat at the oval table. Everyone present wore a mask so that none could see their whole face. Code names were also used. The purpose of the subterfuge was not so much to hide the identity of the patrons but rather to trick the inquisitors in case of capture. The victim could honestly say that he didn't see anyone at the meeting.

A man at the head of the table tapped a gavel to call attention.

"By the grace of the Divine. We walk our prime..."

"In Purity." The members chorused in return.

"As you are aware Lady Anna has not only betrayed our trust but has also destroyed the 5-point star."

Growls and hisses sounded.

"Despite this setback. All is not lost and we will be able to provide the General with his power source and generator to open the portal."

"How?" asked a woman who's green eyes glowed behind her mint colored domino seated towards the middle of the long table.

The man smiled, "I'm glad you asked Emerald. I would like to introduce a new member who definitely brings much to our table." The double doors opened dramatically and a tall man strode forward. His scent gave him away as a werewolf. "Our new member will simply go by Ice."

"Thank you Overseer." Ice said. "My great grandfather once had a pack in France but decided to relocate to the New World. It was a savage time when other packs were trying to migrate as well. But my great grandfather had an advantage. 'The Genesis Mechanism.'"

The member's eyes widened from behind their mask and many scoffed at this announcement. Legends told of 3 underground cities that were made by supernaturals soon after they were cast down. These cities had running water, electricity, a subway, and something like the internet. It was all powered by a device that was the heart of the machine generator. This device was known as "the Genesis Mechanism."

But they were all destroyed because of war between supernatural factions and then the evidence was buried beneath the sands. Three above ground structures that led down into the cities were all that were left. Some say that they were the tombs of the Pharaohs but in reality they stood long before humans began to settle along the Nile River.

As for the Genesis Mechanism, it was supposedly destroyed when the generator was melted down. There had been no evidence that the mechanism was in anyone's possession. Like humans, supernaturals had their faults. Greed and power were definitely on that list. To have the Genesis Mechanism was to have ultimate power and very few individuals were strong enough to resist the lure.

"Impossible!" A pale skinned vampire exclaimed.

"We would have known or at least heard of this relic had been used." Another protested.

"The dead don't speak." Ice replied. "When the Werewolf Council was established in the US. Our pack owned the most land from the Potomac to the Mississippi River and were forced to give most of it up. They kept chipping away at our borders until there was little left. The Council put a strip of 'No Man's Land' to divide us and the Territory of Cub Creek. One of our former pack families preferred to associate themselves with the Masons. Buried in the foundation of their dwelling is where my great grandfather whispered the location of the Genesis Mechanism to his son on his deathbed. The knowledge was passed down to me this way."

The members were intrigued.

The Overseer cleared his throat. "I have personally already agreed to give aid to Ice. Are there any others that wish to contribute to this noble cause?"

A chorus of 'yes' sounded from a few of the members.

"And what would this quest require?" one of the masked figures inquired.

"War."

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Darius dropped a load of firewood in the corner of the cave. After disposing of the 5-point star they had returned to India to wait. Lady Anna said that she was waiting for a seer to arrive. He had only met a seer once and to his everlasting regret he did not follow her advice.

Flashback...

The balmy night was warm and a gentle breeze blew across the water. King Darius basked under the moonlight grateful to be alive and thankful that he had led his men to victory. Now he was impatient to return to his queen. By tomorrow night, he would be home and in the arms of his Beloved.

A noise caught his attention. Some of his soldiers were harassing an old crone. It was odd to see a human out this late at night since humans did not see well in the dark. Prehaps she was senile or maybe some emergency drew her away from home. Whatever the reason he barked to his men, "Leave the old woman be!"

The elder drew near, "Thank you King Darius for your generosity."

He was surprised that she knew his name but just assumed that she had heard it from his men.

"For your generosity," she continued. "I will tell you this. To save all that you love, tarry here another night and do not return home until the next. This one night will change history forever."

"King Darius!" A shout sounded.

A soldier ran to his side panting hard. "There are rumors that our enemies are coming from the south."

The king was immediately surrounded by his generals and commanders. "Sir! Do we set up defenses? Or do we head home now?"

Darius paused. The old woman was no longer in sight. He had a sense of dread but the rational part of his brain argued that it could have been a trap to favor his enemies. "We leave immediately. Pack up the men. Send riders ahead to alert the city and send scouts to investigate these rumors."

Reaching home he was satisfied to see that the city was on high alert. The Queen and her ladies had been taken to a hideaway. The king worked alongside his men to check all the defenses. Hours later the scouts returned and reported that the rumors were false. Relief went through the ranks as the villagers were told to return home and the gates were reopened.

King Darius sent his best men to fetch the queen as he took a quick bath to wash away the stench of war. He was excited to see his Beloved but something kept niggling in the back of his mind. The warning the old woman had given him.

End of Flashback...

If only he could go back in time.

Darius threw another piece of dry wood on the dying fire. Stroking the coals he watched the flames lazily lick at his offering. He pondered his history and his failures.

This time, this time he would listen.

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I actually just added this chapter in. I really hope I'm setting things up correctly. In the course of writing it seems like the characters actually take on a life of their own and that the story lines change based on the characters. I just let it flow and try not to get hung up on planning things so regimental. 

As I've told many of my readers. I have no idea what's going on half the time. We're all going on an adventure. For me, it's fascinating that things seem to work out so well.