The Venatrix

Chapter Twenty-Five

My body feels weightless. I'm not in control of myself. I'm an outsider looking in. I see the two guys from before. I see the asian kid Hikaru. They are talking to me but it's not me. I mean it is me but a sinister version of me. I should be scared but I'm not. The aura feels familiar, almost comforting. It's like I have known it my whole life.

I am suddenly standing on a black and white checkerboard floor. Plasma screen televisions cover the walls. Bits and pieces of what looks like my life is displayed on the screens. I eye them curiously. Am I dead? Is this some version of "your life flashing before your eyes." 

"Ichika." A deep haunting voice said from behind me. I spin around just to be blasted with demonic energy. Once I get my bearings about me I give the man I look over. The man is tall and muscular. He has dark sigil tattoos that cover his smokey skin. Crow black eyes. Long charcoal hair that cascades down his back with ivory horns that are perched on top of his head. 

"Who? and what are you?" I ask.

"Wow. The vampire boy was right. You don't remember anything do you?" He asked. 

"No. I remember who I am perfectly." I state. 

"Do you?" He asked, arching an eyebrow. 

"Yes, I am Nora Bleau. I was a werewolf, ran out of my own home because my father sold me to another alpha. I made a name for myself hunting vampires. I took a bounty for a master vampire just to get turned into one myself." I say smugly, crossing my arms across my chest. 

"Yes, you are those things. However you are so much more than that. You are smart. You are courageous. You are strong. " He said but I held up my hand to stop him. 

"I am none of those things." I state. 

"You are! You just don't remember. It's a side effect of the vampire venom but nonetheless it doesn't matter. I was there for it all." He said.  

"If it doesn't matter then why am I here?" I demand. 

"It doesn't matter because I am going to  show you everything. You need this knowledge if you are going to fight in this upcoming battle." He said. 

"What do my memories have to do with what's going on in Alaska?" I ask. 

"That's because we are the target." He said matter of fact. 

"Huh?" I ask not to try to hide the confusion on my face. 

"I just don't think the enemy realizes what they are trying to do is impossible." He mumbles scratching his chin. 

"What are you talking about?" I ask raking my fingers through my hair. 

"Alright, calm down! Let's start from when we first met." He said, directing my attention to the tv behind us. 

The first thing I see is a group of teenagers sitting in a group. I see a pentagram drawn on the floor. The center of the star is filled with candles. One of the guys is explaining something to the rest of the group in a language I don't understand. After a while another teen appeared holding two young children. One is a little girl with untamed apple red hair. While the other is a boy with short inky black hair. The teen points something out to the children. They go and sit on a rock just outside of the camera view. Some time later the teens sit in the circle and hold hands. They begin to chant. A bright light blast into view assuring the rest of the group. A few minutes later they light fades and you can see all the teens laying on the ground incapacitated. Both children get up and run over to the group. Both are holding their relatives' hands sobbing uncontrollably. A faint light appears out of the screen. The girl drops her relatives hand and runs towards the light. The other child yells no and for her to stop. Then the  screen goes black. 

"Was that me?" I asked. 

"Yes, your father and his friends tried to summon me but none of them could hold my power. You could. You charged fearlessly at my soul and consumed me without a second thought." He said, his eyes shining with pride. 

"After your fathers friends started dying or maybe the correct terminology is they were murdered. Your father packed your bags, connected you with your aunt and uncle in America." He said. 

"So, we moved to America to protect ourselves." I asked. 

"Yes, however that didn't last very long. You two were driving home and you were pulled over instead of asking for proper identification, the officer shot your father and left you there." He said, turning my attention to the TV. 

The child in this video is a little older than the first one. She is singing along to some song with the man driving. They are both smiling. They are both laughing. They are happy. Until the blue lights appear in the background. The man looks panicked but he looks to his child and offers her a reassuring  smile. When the officer appears at the window you can see he has his weapon drawn. Then you see a flash. You hear the girl scream. After a split second you see the girl looking out the window to look at the assailant. The man is tall, has scruffy brown beard, his eyes are dark but I would recognize that face anywhere. 

"Edgar killed my father." I hissed. 

"Yes, he did and he never let you forget it." The demon said before showing me video after video proving himself right. 

"I was miserable." I admit. 

"Now, you're not." He said simply. 

"So, what does all of this mean? What do you want from me?"  I ask. 

"One,  it means that Wayne Nettle is just a figurehead for a much bigger plot. Someone tracked down everybody that was there that night and then killed them. It's an attempt to kill me or to gain my power. However, neither can be done." He said. 

"What does that mean?" I ask. 

"Demons are like curses. You can't just kill them. You can only seal them away. When someone becomes a vampire everything in them hardens kind of like cement. My soul is attached to yours. We can't be separated. Which leads me to my second theory. You are the only person with footage from that night. So, they don't know who obtained my soul. Light already promised them the kid. It's possible that they want the girl to use her powers to revive everyone that was there that night. Honestly that's what I would do especially if they didn't know who consumed my soul but she's what eight? Her powers aren't mature enough." He theorized. 

"Well, that won't work.  Most Japanese families cremate their relatives. You can't revive someone without a body." I point out. 

"That's true. Either way that girl is too young to understand what her power is." He said. 

"So, what do you want from me?" I ask.

"Well, Ichika it's simple. I am comfortable here. My life is attached to yours regardless of what happens but I have missed having your company. So, if we can keep this current arrangement I will lend you my powers so you can protect the ones that you love." He said. 

"That's it? You want my company and a life of leisure?" I asked. 

"It's that simple." He said, offering his hand. 

"Are you going to bind yourself to this deal?" I ask. 

"I, Kostchtchie, demon lord of wrath and fury swear to Ichika Kobayashi that if she will keep me company and ensure my life of leisure, I will lend her my powers for the duration of this fight." He vowed, gripping my outstretched hand. A seal burned into my hand signifying our deal. 

Now it's time to go home.