| 1 |
 |
Bianca tells Bosha she wants to be tied to something mortal for a
little while. Bosha tells her the humans live so hard, so short but their flame burns
so bright. Once in 100 years one comes along that Bianca chooses to keep for herself.
Aidin is one. The Wards are holding her back as well as one of their own kind. Bianca
releases little Homunculi, spindle legged horned black creatures, skinny legs and
arms and feet (clawed) with beady glowing bug eyes. They will slip into his mind
and destroy his will. Centuries of deprivation and withdrawal from human blood as
well as watching his skin gradually accept the life giving rays of the sun. An hour
ago he was hit by the arrow. He pulls it out his front, snapping it in two, then
has to pull it out his back. Hue had seen the Wild Boy around the village before,
the people tolerated him, said he was crazy but his eyes gave him away. He knew what
Hue was, and he'd spiked him. No blood and the wound would heal quickly. The naked
boy was still out there...hunting. They came from the first country, long ago, following
the Romans, they watched with greedy eyes as Hadrian built the wall to keep the people
back. They fed as Britain grew, the Saxons came, the Normans followed. The Druids
found a way to kill them. The Germans named them vampire. The land repelled their
touch and the Green Man called his followers to hunt them. Aidin wonders where Hue
is. He wonders if he dreamt it all. The Homunculus creatures are on this drapes and
jump at him, teeth showing. One climbs to his neck. Others are on his legs. He steps
on one. The boy calls Hue, "Vampire!" Hue tells him, "Ah, shit, kid.
I'm finished with this. Go ahead and put an arrow through me. Only this time try
not to miss my heart." The boy says, "No. I've watched you since you came
here to the village. Your evil has diminished. I thought you were the one my master
spoke of. But I sense another, close by. A true evil. The one I seek. That one will
die this night." Hue calls, "Wait, Puck. We go together." Anubis was
in the sky among the Walker's thoughts, one of the moon's oldest children. It was
night and he remembered when he was nubile boy long ago. He couldn't sleep that night...his
first night. He has on an ank on his head, a jewel tied to a necklace, a wrist band
with trim on his left wrist, four bands on his right upper arm, seemingly laced as
oneóóbut is really a snake shape of jewelry, and a loin clothóthongóbikini bottom
tied on by thin rope string. No one was around the pyramids. They stood alone and
quiet on the endless sands. A year before 1000s of slaves toiled beneath. He went
down stairs to a dark figure with two glowing light eyes, no pupils, and a dark cloud
form for a body. At first, he thought it was a spirit clouding his mind, calling
to him, whispering all the wonders it had seen, all the magic of the stars, of the
cosmic mystery of whence it came. It felt so right, the joining of two beings, a
melding of consciousness, a domination of will, the stranger dissolved leaving only
the boy yet much more. For that ishow it all began. The curse. The sickness spreading
out like ripples on a pond. From that day. The day the Pharaohs called it down. And
now Walker, looking better than before, and cleaner, felt it again, the same force,
awakening memories like an old friend. It frightened him. Aidin screams as it all
drains away from him, hundreds of homunculi are in the room with him. He calls for
Hue. Bianca comes in and tells him he doesn't need Hue, only her, "Let me show
you all that you can be." Aidin knows what she is and runs for the door. Hue,
outside, finds the charms did not workóóthe door has been breachedóóhe knows this
by touching it. The boy finds tiny claw marks on the floor. Bosha attacks them, calling
them scum. Her fangs are about to lance into Hue's neck as Homunculi drape over Robin's
bare chest, Robin on the floor on his back. Aidin comes in. Bianca tells him to leave
them to their fate. Aidin feels like he is going insane. He cannot fight it any longer.
Bianca wants to leave Bosha to her dinner. Fangs are starting to sink into Hue's
neck. Bosha tells Hue that Bianca told her that Hue was human. Hue tells her that
Bianca lied to her, left her with them to slow them up while she and Aidin got away.
Bosha says, "No, she likes me. She's my friend." The boy sneaks up behind
her and shoves the arrow in her back and it pokes out her chest, right in the heart.
Hue uses his sword to decapitate Boshaóóa bony skull popping off the stalk of a bony
neck. Robin folds his arms and tells Hue they must go after Aidin and Bianca at Suffolk
Manor. |