Dark Secrets

Chapter 8

 "Here sit down," I motion the rotting stump beside me. "I'm not sure if this will hurt or not" I frowned as Henry's eyes locked onto mine.

"That's okay," He reached out and grabbed my hand pulling me closer to him.

I didn't resist, my curiosity got the best of me.

"I want you to understand who I was. And what I have done." His voice cracked.

"I" he cleared his throat, the sound reverberated through the small clearing. Before he spoke again he tightened his grip on my hand.

"Lana, I know you have every reason not to trust me. But I hope that after you see what brought me here, you will understand my willingness to comply with whatever your father asked of me." 

I nodded my head in reply and retracted my hand from his. I felt a tingle start in my fingertip and flow through my veins into my dead heart. A wave of confusion crashed over me as I stared quizzically at my hand.

The ground beneath me started to distort and move. I started to see black stone instead of the forest floor that was there moments ago. I jerked my head up in shock and saw Henry standing before four elegantly dressed vampires.

They were seated in large cushioned thrones decorated with gorgeous wood carvings along the sides and top. As well as black velvet cushions, upon which they sat.

I slowly swept my eyes around the enormous room. It seemed to be like a castle. With a black stone floor, and chiseled limestone walls, which were decorated with tapestries and paintings.

I was entranced by the beauty that my eyes beheld. As I swiveled my head to see the other side of the room I caught sight of Henry once again. Realization washed over me soaking into my skin.

I was jerked back to reality and felt panic rise like bile in the back of my throat. I slowly made my way closer so I could understand what was going on. I was fearful of being seen so I hugged the wall tightly. Before I was close enough, I heard Henry's voice in my mind.

"Lana," his voice chilled me to my core. "Don't be alarmed, this is what I wanted to show you. It is only a memory"

I hesitantly walked over where Henry stood. That was when I realized I couldn't feel anything, like a cold breeze from the open window. Even some of the details of the room seemed to be fuzzy.

The panic rising in me stilled. 

He's right, this is only a memory. I am just a spectator. 

Before I has time to process this fully, a loud voice rang in my ears and echoed in my mind. 

"Do you understand the grave danger you put all of us in Mr. Black? I understand as a newborn your thirst is great, but slaughtering a group of vampire hunters while they slept? Well, that is idiotic" A woman vampire said before taking a long drag off of her cigarette. Which was placed elegantly in a gold holder.

She narrowed her eyes on Henry while she blew the smoke out of her puckered, red lips. The male vampire seated on her right, nodded and interlaced his slender fingers together and placed them on his abdomen.

I was taken aback by the utter beauty that radiated from them. I was assuming this was the ancestors my father had talked about. But in my head I had pictured decrepit, wrinkle ridden, hunched figures. Not the beautiful, young and sophisticated vampires before me.

The most beautiful of the group was the vampire seated on the left. He possessed emerald eyes that sparkled like the gemstone itself. And a face as pale and chiseled as the white limestone surrounding us. His hair was expertly combed back, except for one dark chocolate piece that fell onto his forehead.

I was completely mesmerized and spell bound. Until he spoke then I walked out of the fog that filled my thoughts and into the reality before me. 

"Because you have enraged the remaining vampire hunters in your area, there is a high bounty for your death," The man I was currently drooling over said as he leaned forward.

"We have agreed to hand you off to them. As well as, relocate the hunting grounds closer to your former clan. In return they are going to reconsider hunting the vampires that inhabit that area," he straightened up once again.

I gasped, what had Henry done?

I covered my mouth and moved closer to Henry's side, forgetting this was only a memory. His head hung low leaving his dark hair no other choice but to fall onto his face and cover his eyes.

He tensed beside me, I could feel the darkness in him swirling. He looked up then and met the gaze of the vampire before him. It was another woman, her raven hair cascaded down her shoulders and shone blue as the light caught it.

Her eyes were the darkest brown I had ever seen, and her skin was so pale it seemed translucent. She wore a deep plum satin dress that glided over her body like water. 

I stole a glance at Henry. When I caught sight of his blood red eyes I shrank back in fear. 

I stumbled over my untied shoelace and tripped backwards. I tried to catch myself with my hands. When I landed on the ground it was softer than I imagined. I stood back up and that's when it clicked.

I was no longer spectating Henry's memory.

 I turned in a slow semi circle and took in the sight around me. I had to make sure this was reality.

 There sat Henry on the rotted stump, his face more ashen than before. The pine trees were encasing us still, the only difference was the sun had lowered in the sky. 

"After that meeting the ancestor's took me to the sole survivor from the night of the massacre. It was your father, I compelled him to believe that I had been kicked out of this clan," my hands began to shake as tears welled up in my eyes.

"I told him the ancestors believed me to be unfit. I twisted a tale so complex, that he had to believe it. Then he became so enthralled by learning about the abilities we possessed that he begged me to turn him."

Henry had been the one to take my father from me. He corrupted him, and molded him into the man he came to be today. I want to stop him from continuing, but I can't find the words.

I backed up until I was against a tree. I slowly slid down and let the tears cascade down my face. Henry stayed where he was. He rubbed his hand across his face and left it covering his chin.

He stared at me like he wanted to offer me some kind of comfort. We both knew he couldn't though.

I came to my senses as I began to sort through all I had heard. I sniffled and wiped my eyes quickly.

"How do the ancestors not know you are still alive? How was this situation not fishy to them?" I said before stood back up and walked closer to him crossing my arms over my chest on the way.

 "About that..." he let out a nervous laugh and ran his hand through his black hair.

 BUM BUM BUMMMM...

Let me know what you think about this chapter, and plot twist of sorts. 🤪