Hybrid Trilogy

Chapter 22 Darkness Returns

Cassandra lay sleeping on the cot tossing and turning restlessly, then she opened her eyes a tall dark haired, refined but pale looking man, stood before her she ran to him throwing herself at his feet "Master I thought you slain?" she cried kissing his hand, he pulled back and said in his slightly Germanic accent "Alas it is true I am, but that is not my end, I live on in Mandrake, but for that I need you." Cassandra looked up longingly staring into his dark red eyes "how can I help my lord Drakon? You know that I love you my lord & I will do all in my power to help" she stated bowing her head. He looked down and for a fraction of a second, he had warmth in his gaze "you have met my son Mandrake?" Drakon started, Cassandra nodded closing her eyes again "he needs guidance in our ways, and he will never get that from his mother, he is unique he must feed to grow" Drakon paused "but surely will he not be stuck at his current age if he feeds on fresh blood?" Cassandra asked " No because he has been frozen in time blood will only serve to bring him into line with his true age of majority, so take him raise him, nurture him, and in turn he will bring you greatness" Drakon finished and then was gone. Cassandra opened her eyes, and found herself once more in the dank little cot she had been asleep in. She lay there for a moment trying to interpret her vision, and listening for Mandrake, no sound told her that he was not in. She rose quickly and went through to the main living area to discover that she was indeed alone, but she could hear his wailing coming from outside. She walked out from the shack, for that was all she could really call it, into the open air of the central square there she found Poppy trying vainly to halt Mandrake's sobbing "he won't stop until he feeds" Cassandra said as she approached them both. "But I've given him milk and he was sick almost instantly" Poppy said in a weak whimpering voice pleading, "I just cannot get him to settle, he has been like this all night" she whined clearly at the end of her tether. Cassandra put out her arms "give him to me" she offered warmly "he is Vampire, nothing but blood will satiate him, and only warm fresh blood at that" Cassandra stated firmly. "OH, would you my lady, that is most kind, I had forgotten, I am sure he can feed on that Cow over there" Poppy said relieved handing Mandrake to Cassandra and pointing to a grazing Calf at the edge of the clearing. Cassandra took the wailing baby and he seemed somehow to know he was in a better place, as she took him she made an almost imperceptible gesture and mouthed a silent incantation as Poppy let go of Mandrake, she froze unable to move, and a sudden look of panic spread over her face. "You see you're a silly girl" Cassandra began with an air of superiority "you are far too innocent to raise young Mandrake, he needs and respects power, of which you have none!" she continued "but you can give one thing to Mandrake that he can't get from anyone else" Cassandra stated Poppy able only to talk looked longingly at Mandrake and said "what is it that I can give, anything for my child" she finished looking warmly at Mandrake. At this Cassandra offered Mandrake Back to Poppy's neck "YOUR LIFE" she sneered as Mandrake opened his mouth wide to reveal a small set of razor-sharp teeth that he eagerly sank into his mother's neck puncturing her jugular and drinking deeply. Poppy let out a single scream as her face went from adulation to fear and finally terror in the space of a few seconds, Mandrake took hold of her head as her legs gave way and she fell to the floor. Cassandra looked on almost disinterested and then noticed, that striding confidently toward her was a mature lady flanked by two younger tall men, clearly Warlocks. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS GIRL!?" Demanded the older woman Cassandra said nothing and then Mandrake leapt up from Poppy's lifeless body into her arms. "My Child is just feeding" Cassandra replied again, almost cavalier in her attitude. "WELL MY NAME IS AGAPANTHUS AND I'M THE HEAD OF THIS COVEN, AND VAMPIRES ARE NOT WELCOME HERE." Barked Agapanthus and as she did she gestured to one of the Warlocks to seize the boy, Cassandra whispered in Mandrakes ear and he jumped from her arms and sank his teeth into the young Warlocks neck who tried feebly to free himself, as Agapanthus made to intervene Cassandra muttered an incantation and both Agapanthus and the second Warlock found themselves frozen, a wave of her hand and another chant, and Cassandra began to drain the magic from all three, it visibly flowed from each of them like wisps of white cloud into Cassandra's eyes as they turned from their Usual cloudy green, to solid jet black, Agapanthus and the two Warlocks began to lose color as their lives began ebbing away when Mandrake had finished drinking away the young  Warlocks life he jumped onto Agapanthus and sank his teeth into her neck, her hand went up to try to free herself, and her eyes rolled back into her head as she sank gracefully to the ground. All around them a mighty panic ensued as other Witches and Warlocks of the coven council rushed to help Agapanthus only to be ensnared in the same trap. Mandrake was now a small boy with each drained body he left behind he increased in age, and then his mother stood up this time as a Vampire, and she too began to feed on the magically drained crowd. As each Witch or Warlock advanced confident that his or her power would be sufficient to stop Cassandra, she absorbed more and more magic and Mandrake gorged himself and as he did, he grew, as did the number of Vampires. Then almost as if the realization dawned on him, he shielded his eyes and ran for cover and watched the other Vampires as the sun began to blaze and they began to burst, screaming into flames Cassandra immediately cast a magical protection over Mandrake, and then she summoned all the witches who had materialized with each newborn Vampire that rose.