Hybrid Trilogy

Chapter 11 Realisation

Whilst the dream conversation between Archer and the White Angel was carrying on, outside the tavern stood in the shadows, a man about 6ft 8 tall in fine wealthy looking clothes all in black with shoulder length black wavy hair, a pale complexion and dark rings around his eyes, and as he listened stone faced a tear of blood ran down his cheek.

Darius had ensured through divine means that the conversation between him and Archer, reached the man's ears, but omitting the part where Darius told Archer about the danger to humanity allowing him to hear the word Vampire instead. Vampires' and Werewolves had now been made aware of the alliance & they now had an agenda, that being to make sure that Ruby and George met a brutal end. It had proved impossible for George, Ruby and Jasmine to convince the Werewolves that they actually were on the same side, as them, with the same goal even though they had tried. Just before the full moon came up one evening, George and Jasmine were in the grave yard keeping vigil over Ruby, George waited for transformation to come, it being twilight, Ruby was still unable to leave the crypt. That however meant that Jasmine really had her work cut out for her, as, George was not at his strongest. Other Werewolves were however not waiting for change, and other Vampires', suffered in the half light and burned too, as they descended on George, Ruby and Jasmine as they had become the scourge of both sides. George did his best to help Jasmine defend the crypt, "YOU WILL NEVER TAKE HER"

George shouted to the mass of encroaching changelings, Vampires and Werewolves in human form. What in sued was a fight of the weaker Vampires, changeling Werewolves and Witches, all attacking each other but with one united but selfish goal to be the one with the power to kill George and Ruby. They were both seen as a scourge of all, rumours of their prowess in battle had been greatly exaggerated.

Ruby looked on unable to summon the courage to leave the crypt. All at once a mature looking Witch in black with dark eyes cast a noiseless spell in Jasmine's direction, and this sent her careering into a tomb stone knocking her out cold. In that instant a Vampire of a similar age to George with blond flowing locks of greasy hair leapt on George, and even though he was yet to change, George was still able to fend off his attacker. In the past, if a Vampire were to attack a Werewolf, then other Werewolves' would immediately jump to their rescue, unfortunately this was not so in Georges case.

He was just managing to keep the attacking Vampire at bay. Ruby saw this and decided then to throw caution to the wind and ran out of the crypt screeching, and as twilight had passed and the night was advancing, Ruby didn't suffer from the power of the sun, although the moon was still not up. She leapt on top of the Vampire, knocking him off George, but the Vampire then turned on Ruby hissing and bearing his fangs, and with quick reflexes he struck Ruby in the shoulder with a shard of wood this completely incapacitated her, leaving her totally vulnerable, the Vampire then stood over Ruby with another piece of wood he'd snatched up from the ground ready to plunge into her heart, at the same time another Vampire of African extraction, his paled complexion giving a milky finish to his dark skin punctured only by his fiery crimson eyes.

He was much more muscular than the blond one, and stood astride George mouth open wide, fangs dripping with Vampiric venom ready to kill him, whilst all around them the battle raged on. Just at that moment the moon came out from behind the clouds, and in an instant George became a full Werewolf, the Vampire that stood over him looked down at the Werewolf looking up at him, and realised in that moment, that he didn't stand a chance and perished in a single swipe of Georges powerful claws, and as he perished a scream somewhere in the battle was cut short, as a Witch vanished.

George jumped to his feet and in a single bound leapt over to the other Vampire who stood menacingly over Ruby and severed its head in one bite, once again a shortened scream saw the end of another Witch. Having averted that crisis George turned to see the pack of 20 or so advancing Werewolves, and he could see from their demeanour that Ruby was their sole target. They seemed to look straight through him, toward Ruby, the other Vampires fell to the advancing pack of snarling Werewolves, and as each Vampire fell and exploded into dust so too it's guardian Witch blinked out of existence. Jasmine came too, she shook her head to clear it, jumped to her feet and went quickly to Ruby's side "what should I do my mistress?" She asked with a distinct tremble in her voice and panic all over her face, as the snarling Werewolves all around slowly advanced. Ruby looked around, took a deep breath and replied, "I think" she began with some determination, "a tactical withdraw would be a wise move." And with that they beat a hasty retreat, leaving the remaining Vampires to slow down the pack of advancing Werewolves.

Because Vampires were a good deal faster than Witches Jasmine climbed on to Ruby's back as they set off. Just as she started to run, Ruby turned and called "George". George being George and being a Werewolf stood his ground ready to defend Ruby and Jasmine against the pack of snarling salivating Werewolves, as they approached, "GEORGE!" Ruby shouted. George didn't wait for a third call and he turned and ran like a scolded cat in the direction of Ruby and Jasmine. As George caught them up, he took Jasmine from Ruby as she was still suffering from the effects of the staking earlier and was clearly struggling and definitely not at her best. In the time it took the other Werewolves to dispatch the remaining Vampires and pick up the scent of George, Ruby and Jasmine, they had put a good fifty or so miles between them, and dawn was fast approaching. Whilst they had no clear Alfa the Werewolves had reached a pack consensus that the hunt could continue that evening. The full moon's cycle lasted three days and this was only day one, and all Werewolves would be at their most potent and powerful that evening.

After running for most of the night, ensuring that they had managed not to be seen by any humans or any other supernatural beings, George Ruby and Jasmine found themselves just outside Winchester in a small village called Rog Down Copse, in fact it was less of a village and more of a hamlet consisting of just a small church and a few cottages surrounded by a small woodland. In the church yard there was a single tomb set to one corner, Jasmine using her magic to open the door, inside the dark room with doors to smaller chambers and more cobwebs and not much else, in the centre of the room was a stone sarcophagus with ornate gargoyle carvings, again draped in yet more cobwebs. They all went in, as George stepped out of the sinking moon Light he changed back to human and dressed quickly to cover his modesty. During the day they rested and recharged their energies and, in the evening, as the moon came out George stepped out of the tomb and threw his clothes back through the door to Ruby just as he changed. Jasmine and Ruby followed, Jasmine using her magic to close the tomb door the three of them stood in the graveyard, glancing around Ruby said, "We don't have the luxury of time, you can guarantee that other Werewolves will be on our trail" Ruby announced, seeming to be taking the lead, "oh how she had changed from the shy retiring wall flower that had journeyed down from the north with her farther", she thought.

The other two seemed happy for her to do so. "So, if we agree, we will keep going until dawn. we've got 12 hours" Ruby said in a determined way, "Yes, my mistress" Jasmine replied, and George nodded "which direction?" Ruby asked looking at George, he sniffed the air and raised his arm and pointed in a southbound direction. Jasmine climbed on to George's back and off Ruby and he ran. They achieved a good pace and didn't seem to wilt so covered a good deal of ground. Eventually they found themselves in a small harbour village, called St Antony in the county of Cornwall, right on the south coast. So, their idea to get to Europe was it seemed going as planned. They had between them decided that England, was to small an island to hide in & felt Europe would offer better cover it being a whole lot bigger, so they planned to get across the sea and into Europe.

They found another small church yard Jasmine again used her magic to open the tomb door, stale air rushing to meet them as the seal was broken and made Jasmine wince and then said, "I'm off to find an inn where I can sleep, I need a real bed." Unlike the last tomb this one was a single room, but light came through a set of small windows that ran around the top of three of the walls, lots of cobwebs and a single sarcophagus in the centre of the dusty chamber. on the back wall a shelving rack with other coffins stacked on top of each other, used to save on space and in each corner of the very gothic room stone angels looked in guarding the dead. "Ok Jasmine" replied Ruby "you go and find somewhere to rest your head, George can you disguise our sent and cover our tracks, otherwise tonight the battle will start all over again, and we won't have the luxury of a bunch of blood thirsty single-minded Vampires to slow the Werewolves down." She added George nodded grabbed at a pair of trousers and set off back the way they'd just come from.

"I would get some rest my mistress I have no doubt George will be back soon," said Jasmine and she set off in search of an inn to put her head down. "HURRY BACK GEORGE AND WAKE ME WHEN YOU RETURN" Ruby shouted after George looking in the direction he had gone with longing. She then slunk back into the tomb, avoiding the defused light that streamed in through the grimy windows highlighting the dust eddies that now danced around the room as the sun began to rise, and the birds began singing the dawn chorus signifying the arrival of the day.

Jasmine found a small tavern called the ship inn, in the small nearby riverside village of Helford near the Helford river estuary, and they were happy to offer her bed and board, although Jasmine looked at the landlord with some apprehension. he seemed a little too keen to offer her a room and she had a feeling in her gut that something was amiss, despite being unable to tell what it was.