Katera

Chapter 13: Stranger Things

After Tassu and Russa returned to Katera, they took Maria and Rachel to their house. It wasn't long before they heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." said Tassu as he went to open the door. So when he did, he was too surprised to see who it was. "Pleasure, to see you Prince Adari."

"I presume you already know why I am here, but I'll explain my reasoning anyway. I received information that you and your sister, Russa were carrying unconscious humans into the city, also your house is shrouded in the smell of human blood. Care to explain?"

"Yes your majesty, and please come in." Tassu responded

When Adari saw Maria and Rachel he was shocked "Explain this immediately!" Adari commanded

"First of all, we didn't do this if that is what you are thinking. We found them in the woods. When we got there her friend was already unconscious, Maria was slightly unstable. When we asked, Maria told us that it was wild animals that did this. Then she collapsed and we brought them both here." Tassu responded

"Really? What animal was it?" Adari responded in disbelief

"She didn't say." Russa replied

"I don't believe you." Adari replied

Just then Maria began to wake up.

"If you don't believe us, then just ask her." suggested Russa

"Maria?"

"Adari? Wait, I'm not dead?" Maria asked

"That's a strange first question to ask. I was expecting more along the lines of 'Where am I' or 'What am doing here'." Said Tassu

"Maria what happened to you?" Adari asked with concern.

"Me and my friend were attacked by wild animals. When they attacked us, they went for her first. That is why she is in a worse condition." Maria replied

"Tell me, what kind of animal was this that attacked you?" Adari asked

"I don't know."

"Can you tell what it looked like? Any form of description will do?"

"I can't, cause I don't know what it looked like."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Russa questioned

"I just don't."

Adari turned to Tassu and Russa "You do know what this means don't you?" Adari asked them "It's means she wasn't attacked by wild animals."

"Why would she lie? She has no reason to." Tassu asked

"I don't think she's lying." Adari replied "She's just telling not telling the the truth, because she can't."

"What do you mean Adari?" Maria asked

"Maria I need you to clear your mind and hold completely still." Adari imposed

"Okay." Maria replied as she did so.

"Now don't move." He commanded as he placed his hand on her head. After doing so his irises and pupils turned completely white. But after a short while his eyes turned back to their normal color. He then removed his hand from her head. "Just as I expected." Adari began "You weren't attacked by wild animals,you only told us that because you were compelled to do so. This was Vér Városa's doing. "

"What? Compelled?" Maria said in confusion

"Tassu, Russa, get Maria's friend out of here. Lock her up, and keep her there until I say otherwise."

"Wait, why are you having them lock her up?"

Before Adari could answer, and before Tassu had gotten a hold on her, Rachel woke up.

Just then Rachel woke up. "What the, where am I?" She said in a low voice.

"Rachel, you're alright." Maria said happily

"Yeah I.." Rachel saw Adari and stopped speaking mid-sentence. "Have we met before?" she asked

"No." Adari responded

"Are you sure, because I.." She stopped mid-sentence once more. Suddenly, Rachel emerged a set of fangs and went to attack Maria.

Adari quickly pulled Maria out of Rachel's reach and braced her in his arms. "Restrain her!" he commanded.

Tassu and Russa then took a hold of Rachel.

"Now get her out of here." Adari commanded

"Let go of me." Rachel said in an angered tone.

Tassu and Russa then took Rachel out of the structure.

Maria looked up at Adari. "You're having them take her away? You don't plan to execute her too do you?"

"No. Follow me and I'll explain."

Maria then followed Adari out of the structure and then to the west side of Katera where there was a large flower garden mostly made up of lilies. They came to a stop at a bench and sat down.

"So you want to know why I had your friend locked up? The answer is simple, I did it to protect you."

"Protect me? But she's my friend, she wouldn't hurt me."

"Not intentionally. Maria, she is not as you remember her. The people from Vér Városa they.."

Maria interrupted "Vér Városa? What's that?"

"It's a rival city of vampires. You know when I asked you to hold still and put my hand on your head."

"Yes."

"What I was doing was reading your memory from the time when you were attacked. That is how I know what happened to you, and during that time one the vampires, they bit your friend. Since she is still alive, she is no longer human."

"She's a vampire now." Maria said in a saddened tone.

"Yes, and just because she's your friend doesn't mean she won't ever have the urge to attack you for your blood. Even if she doesn't want to, she could end up doing it anyway."

"So I'll never see her again."

"Not exactly. You will be able to see her again. But she'll but locked up for the time being until we can get her to a reasonable amount of control over herself, where she won't attack you at the first smell of blood."

"But she's not like that."

"All humans that are turned, start that way. But with the proper guidance, they don't have to stay that way."

"I understand."

"But, if I may ask, why is it that your friend thought she knew me or had seen me before?"

"Oh that reminds me why I came here in the first place. You remember how saved me from that guy yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Well, apparently you accidently left his corpse lying in the alley, and now it's all over news." Maria shows him the news report on her phone that Rachel had shown her earlier that day.

"That explains that."

"I was originally coming here to warn you about this, in case it were to ever cause problems for you, which it may in the future. Not that anyone is doing much about it right now, it was just in case."

Adari then put his hand on Maria's cheek "I can see it now, you really do care for me. You came here only to warn me about a minor issue that's not really a problem at all. And you are still here despite being attacked and nearly killed by vampires. You really are amazing Maria."

Maria gave off a light blush "Thanks Adari."

Adari then removed his hand "But that aside, we do have a real problem at hand. Those two vampires that attacked you were most likely scouts, if they weren't, they wouldn't care so much about getting caught. Which means more of those Vér Városan vampires will probably be coming our way soon. And most likely to start a fight."