RETURN OF THE HYBRID (Book III)

Chapter 13

Johannes had just woken up feeling stronger and dead too. Leon had found a cave where they stayed for the night. There was a fire to keep the insects and wild animals away, his horse was tied on a peg just outside the cave. He was not surprised Osteen and Aliya wanted him dead. All his life people had disappointed him. It was nothing new to him, betrayal-he remembered Aubrey, being lied to, and all of it was part of his life. If they thought he was dead then it was better. But he was not sad about it. Johannes was up and the two were going to survive.

"You have to drink this or you will die" Leon said giving him a wineskin full of blood.

"Your majesty I can't drink it"

"They already left us for the dead once we are not dying again, drink it before I make you do it!" He ordered his iris glowing red hot.

The eyes instilled fear in Johannes and he found himself stretching his arm for the wineskin. He was trembling like a twig. One sip and he spit it out. It was not wine or water. That was blood, not animal blood either. Human blood. And even though it would become his daily food he hated the iron taste of it. The warmth and life in it, the smell of it. the sad stories of dreams that never got to be alive.

"You leave me no option” Leon said grabbing his neck.

"Please don't kill me!"

"Am not going to, look at me" he ordered.

Johannes obediently looked into his eyes. They were glowing despite the faint light from the fire he could see them. All of a sudden he started feel dizzy. He could hear him talk from far away as though he was in a dream.

"You are going to drink that blood, all of it and it's going to taste like milk. You will ask for more and I will give it you until you regain your strength" He said.

Poor Johannes blinked twice, opened the wineskin and gulped the whole blood. He threw it away asked for more until he had his fill.

"I feel stronger now what am I?"

"A vampire, you call them beasts of the night"

"Does that mean I will kill people and not walk in the sun?"

"Yes, for blood but you can feed on them without actually killing them I will show you and don’t worry you can walk in the sun"

"And what are you?"

"A hybrid" Leon said roasting a gazelle by the fire.

He was happy it worked. He could still sire vampires. If he needed more he was going to do it. Now that his own army had turned against him.

"What's a hybrid?"

Typical newly turned vampire living in erstwhile. A lot of questions.

"Am half beast half monster, now stop talking and eat some meat. Keep your mouth busy" he said giving him an entire stake.

"Stories claim that the two can't co-exist how is that possible?"

"Believe the stories, from now on you and me are bound at dawn we go to find Cassandra" he said going outside the cave.

Leon had found himself a new pair of boots. And a robe. He gave the horse some apples watching the entire kingdom. Light was coming from various houses. With his night vision he could also see the palace. He sat there with his horse.

"I wish I could turn you too" He said looking in the horizon.

He did not need to ask why Ariella was in Clivestone. She had come to kill him. Too much for only a creator can destroy their creation. He had died twice in his life. Leon did not fear death. The only thing that was keeping him alive was a promise he made to Lydia and Mike. A promise he felt compelled to fulfil and then the tomb came up. In everyone's memory it was kept a secret, like they rarely thought of it or they were scared. Some had even forced themselves to forget about it. Johannes joined him.

"So what else can I do now that am like you?"

"Give me your knife" He said stretching his hand.

Weird but he gave him the same knife he was using to chop pieces of meat off the stake.

"What do you in...?”

Leon cut his hand.

"Ouch! That was painful" Johannes complained.

"Look at the wound"

He looked around there was no wound. He rubbed his eyes and looked again there was no wound. Johannes was beyond thrilled.

"What? But I felt the pain, you cut me"

"Pain is inevitable, try it yourself" He said giving him the knife.

Johannes was hesitant. Cutting oneself intentionally didn't sound so sane to him.

"Come on try it"

He cut himself.

"Deep!"

He deepened the cut to an extent he could feel the knife in his bone. It was painful. When he stopped he watched the wound heal itself. There was no evidence of it being there. His eyes almost popped out of their sockets. It was the coolest thing he had ever seen.

"What is that?"

"Instant healing, now try to run"

"What?"

"Let me make it easier for you, catch the apple. Just ran towards it okay?"

"Sure" He said getting on his feet.

When Leon threw the apple with all his strength Johannes followed if fast. He caught up with it a few minutes later. He couldn't even feel his legs step on the ground as he ran. On looking back he realized he was deep in the woods. He could hear heartbeats, people talking from far, cockroaches walking and all water, wind, he could even feel the air and smell everything around him. What was even cooler was his eyesight.

"Come back" Leon said.

He ran back.

"That is super speed, you can move from one point to another faster than a streak of lightning but for short distance only"

"How about you?"

"I can get there and back before you blink again, one last test. Push that stone downhill"

"You are joking my prince, that stone weighs a lot no man can push it"

"You are not just any man my friend, come on push it"

"Okay, here goes nothing" He said placing his hands on a large stone the size of a hut.

It came as a surprise to him as he felt it move. He even stopped to confirm if indeed it was moving or it was his brain playing pranks on him.

"It's moving you know my prince...."

"Am no longer a prince, we are friends now and your new name is Mike, I baptize you mike" Leon said.

Johannes reminded him of his first sire. A former bully named Mike. His second sire was now a weakling like him but showing much progress. If they met they were going to be one hell of a kick ass team.

"Okay Adonis..."

"Leon, my name is Leon"

"Okay Leon, before today I did not believe in magic but now I do"

"Push it!"

One push the stone went rolling down the cliff. He did not understand the essence of the stone bring pushed downhill until he heard screams. Johannes looked at Leon.

"They killed our friends they must pay now we train with swords, remember no hurting innocent people"

"Fine, let me get the swords'

He used his super speed and came back with two swords. He was like a kid with a new toy. He couldn't stop using it. Leon trained him close combat overnight, his sword skills had started to improve too. Johannes was the first recruit in the prince's army. He needed one because things were going to get ugly.

********

To welcome the queens long lost sister a royal dinner was prepared. The royal maids were setting up everything. Aliya had given an order, everything was to be perfect one wrong thing they would have faced the consequences. And the queen’s consequences were severe. The kings were even better as compared to hers, with some lenience.

"Hurry up people the king and queen will be here any minute!" Hector ordered.

All kinds of food, fruits and seeds. Eggs and fish, birds were prepared. Wine was in abundance too. And when it was all set they surrounded the table as hector went to fetch the king. He met Herman in the hallway looking all scared and fishy as usual. There was nothing straight with him. He always looked like he wanted to run, looking behind his shoulders.

"Hector a word please" Herman said dragging him in the scrolls room.

It was like the king's library despite the fact that he did little resting and more drinking it was kept clean and organized.

"Lord Herman, you look stressed"

"The prince, Is he back yet am starting to feel like something bad has happened to him"

"Relax my Lord Herman he is strong, he will survive"

"Send the a word if he comes back"

"You are leaving? Dinner is ready"

"Next time Hector thank you"

As lord Herman left Hector picked up the pace to the king’s chambers. He knocked on the door and waited for his word.

"Come in Hector!"

The guards opened the door. Hector bowed.

"Your majesty dinner is served" He said.

"Let's go my ladies"

"Rhode your manners" Aliya argued.

"Am sorry but your sister is also a queen, she looks young maybe we should marry her to my son Adonis speaking of which where is he?"

They all looked at each other then at Hector. He had to know even though he was not with him. Rhode had forgotten the fatherly feeling but he could tell his son was not around.

"He is not back yet" Hector said.

"Get Osteen here!" Rhode ordered marching out.

The news of his son not showing up had angered the king and probably ruined his appetite. Aliya now in her conscious mind was happy. She did not know Ariella, she had no sister but since they shared a common goal and that was the hate for the prince she was willing to live in pretense.

"Is he really dead?" Ariella asked.

Aliya dragged her back in the king’s chambers and locked the door.

"Just to be clear woman I don't know you, how long are you planning to keep up with this pretense of sisterhood?" She asked.

"Once I'm sure he is dead am gone"

"He is dead now leave!"

Ariella burst into laughter. She had really been cool in 1823 the typical Ariella of future times would have set the queen ablaze for talking to her in what she would have called a disrespectful tone. Perhaps she was still scanning the area.

"He conquers death, he is a survivor you have no idea who he is. A ruler of adversity, you can throw anything at him and the annoying kid will just pop out of it" she did not realize she was breaking character, she walked to the window and as she spoke the room was shaking, a dark cloud came by the window, "And the worst thing of all is, I created him. Yes it’s all me" she said and turned around.

Aliya was shaking in the middle of the room. Ariella's eyes were now glowing like the sun, her clothes had changed into a long black cloak made of feathers.

"Did you hear anything I said?" She asked going back to her normal self on realizing she was scaring her.

She nodded. The toughness in her went missing in the event of Ariella showcasing her powers.

"Speak! Don't worry we are a team here am not going to hurt you unless you force my hand"

"I heard everything, you know him?"

"Yes it's complicated, but if you want to fight him you can't do it alone. I can't believe he is dead the boy has nature by his side. Now let's go eat we will check if he is dead tomorrow” she said walking away.

A few meters across the room Ariella realized Aliya was still standing.

"Come on!"

"Who are you?"

"Here we go again, ever heard of a witch named Ariella?"

Aliya's face lit up.

"I have read it in ancient stories, the witch who cannot die and will always be reborn?"

"That's me but that kinda changed because of the blood thirsty vicious hybrid I created..."

She ran to catch up with her. Aliya had a fantasy about witches. Not like Cassandra though.

"Who is that? I don't remember reading about that"

"Your charming prince"

"Doesn't ring a bell"

"f**k I forgot he has the face of an angel and this is freaking 1823!"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing sister, remember to act normal"

She was reminding the mother of acting normal. The woman would have made a lot of money in Hollywood.