In Our Image: Return of The First Born

Chapter Eight

The remaining vampires and werewolves survey the battlefield as wolves quite literally consume the corpses of the fallen. Once it is confirmed safe the wolves begin their equally painful and frightening transformation back into their hulking human forms.

Daylen and Dendera lay Thaddeus against a rock formation, "I have to go, I have to find Serah." Daylen says standing up.

"Stop Daylen, do not allow your emotions to cloud your mind." Dendera pleads.

"She is taken! Taken by the Sheppards, am I supposed to just do nothing?" Daylen asks clearly upset.

"Daylen if they took her alive I doubt they will kill her, if they wanted that they would have done it on the spot." Oliver says trying to talk reason into him.

"Then what, what do we do?" Daylen asks.

"We gather ourselves, you explain to me what is going on in detail and then we plan our counter attack on these Sheppard radicals, but first... we gather our dead. They have fallen for us in battle and they will be honored as warriors," Ari says in his powerful voice as he places his fur coat around his shoulders.

Dendera places her hand on Daylen's shoulder, "We shall not forsake Serah, Daylen even if I must go with you alone to retrieve her... I give you my word."

One of Denderas vampire's sees Serah's backpack next to a fallen wolf; she grabs it and returns it to Daylen. Daylen looks at it as a tear trickles down his cheek; he opens the bag and sees the chalice along with Serah's other belongings.

Daylen hates the idea of leaving Serah for the time being but he knows the reality of the situation. They need the help of Ari and his clan, and they also have no idea where the Sheppards' Iceland base is. "Till tonight, then with or without any of you I go alone my way... with the darkness." Daylen replies.

"Come, we make for the den, there we will discuss why you brought this fight to my lands Dendera." Ari says as the wolves now in human form clad in fur coats begin walking into an open mouth of the mountain.

With some help Thaddeus stands and everyone follows Ari and his clan inside of what looks like a cave. They walk through darkness and dampness until soon the rising light of the sun vanishes behind them. "Ari, do you live in this cave... so primitively?" Oliver asks.

Ari shrugs and giggles, "Yes, somehow we manage." He replies as he moves a loose rock next to the wall of the cave.

Behind the rock is a keypad which Ari enters a code, the wall begins to tremble as it slides back. "Really... a secret base in a cave, how very super villain of you." Oliver states sarcastically.

"You judge us savage because we share beast blood." Ari replies laughing as he enters the opened door.

The vampires pour in and to their surprise the interior is open and clean, it seems as though they stand in a large home. Electronics, satellite links, screens and ancient paintings line the walls. Contemporary couches in the center of a step down and sunken open space provides them enough seating to rest as members of the clan disappear into the large home to lick their wounds.

"So you all live here?" Oliver asks.

"Nay, most of us live in the fishing village below the mountain, this is where we come when we can no longer contain our beast blood and must feed. This place we call the citadel, it is also our hidden refuge from prying eyes and until now... vampires." Ari answers.

"Enough! We must get to matters at hand, as we exchange pleasantries Serah is still gone." Daylen interjects.

"He is correct; we must also not forget the coming of the first born." Dendera adds.