The Death Seer

Chapter 4: The Blood Riders

They put us all into the main tent, hands bound together and kneeling in a line. Surrounding us were the kings blood riders. Each one wore a black suit of armour, weapons glittering dangerously at their sides. Where their fingers should have been were 5 gnarled and yellowed bones, clinking against the metal sheath of their swords. Each tap sent a wave of nausea through me. I knew I looked like death already.

One of the blood riders stood beside me, grasping my arm tightly in his skinless hands. I peered up into the helmet hiding his face but only saw a swirling darkness.

"Hello creatures of the circus." The vampire prowled in front of us, blood dripping down his chin. His latest meal lay prone on the floor near his feet. Some mortal apparently that he'd found wandering near one of the portals to the immortal lands. "My name is Xavier, and I've been sent here by the king to find something very important." Beside me, I felt Aurelia tense up on her knees. I knew vampires were rare, but it seemed strange for the king to go through all this trouble to capture one when he already had a vampire in his midst.

"It's been a long time searching for you, but I'm so pleased that I have finally found you." He stopped pacing in front of Aurelia and I. "Darling little death seer."

Cold dread shot down my spine, fear licking my muscles and bones. The King wanted me? But why? Beside me, I felt Aurelia shoot to her feet, pushing her face against Xaviers. Her teeth flashed against his throat, knicking the marble skin there. He merely laughed, grabbing onto her bound hands and spinning her around to face me. A beed of blood dripped down, smearing into Aurelias shoulder as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. Horror struck eyes met my own and I felt tears sting the back of my eyes. Blinking furiously, I forced myself to swallow my tears and put on a mask of steel indifference. I would not cry. Not in front of these monsters.

"Bring the General forward." Xavier pushed Aurelia to her knees in front of me. Her hands smashing into the cool floor. On the other side of the tent, a scuffle began as two blood riders dragged the General over to the vampire. They pushed him to his knees next to Aurelia but facing Xavier, who peered down at him. Pulling a knife from the pocket of his riding trousers, he proceeded to clean the dried blood and dirt from beneath his fingernails. "Now, there's something that I require from you, but the blood pact is in my way." He glanced cooly in my direction before looking away. "I need you to break it on your death seer."

The General opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, eyes bulging out of their sockets. "I can't break the pact. It was created to offer protection for servitude. If the person is in danger, I won't be able to break the pact. It is old magic."

Xavier gazed passively at the General as if he hadn't even spoken. "Bring me one."

Two more of the blood riders dived into our line, grabbing hold of someone in a long white dressing gown. Maria kicked wildly as the blood riders pulled her over to the general. Before I could stop myself, I was on my feet, launching myself at the vampire. I made it two steps before the last blood rider yanked my hair, forcing my head back onto his cool armour. A bony decayed hand curled itself around my throat.

"Now, if you don't break the blood pact, I will slit this creatures throat." He pulled a curved blade out from behind his back. The blade glimmered in the light of the torches.

The General held up his hands in surrender. "The pact doesn't work that way. I can't sacrifice a life for a life."

My legs trembled, tears finally cascading down my cheek. I knew the General was trying to tell the vampire something. I knew he didn't care for me more than Marias life.

Xavier grabbed hold of Maria's shoulder, forcing her onto her knees in front of him. The blade pressed up against her throat, black blood welling up underneath. I couldn't keep quiet anymore.